Untouchable
by Alexandria M
Summary: Willow Calaway is the new diva in WWE. She's cocky, independent, beautiful, strong, confident, the daughter of WWE Legend The Undertaker and Roman Reigns has his eyes on her. Roman believes he stands a chance with her but he has no idea of the challenge he will face. Will she fall victim to the Roman Reigns charm like all the ladies or will she remain Untouchable?
1. Chapter 1

***I Decided to do a new Roman Reigns story. Here is the first chapter. I hope that you enjoy it***

I walk into the gym I usually work out in while I am home in Tampa, Florida early in the morning before it gets too packed or before fans start to form a line outside the gym for autographs or before they become gym members to catch superstars working out. I hate to be bothered when I am in the middle of working out so early in the morning is the best time to arrive at the gym to get my daily workout in. I make my way through the gym making my way over to the treadmills when I see a woman already working out this morning. She looks like she takes her morning workout as seriously as I do as she is running on the treadmill in short black shorts exposing her long tan legs and a black sports bra top to match. She is running like she is on a mission. Her reddish brown hair pulled up into a messy bun. She is beautiful. I make my way over to the treadmill next to hers and up close she's even more beautiful. Her clear blue eyes meet mine as she smiles at me before she turns her attention back to the book she's reading on her tablet as she runs on the treadmill. "Good morning," I say as I set the pace on my treadmill.

"Good morning," she says with a soft smile not showing me more than her lips.

"It's a beautiful morning huh?"

"Yeah," she says with a smile.

"Are you new here?" I ask as I start to jog on the treadmill.

"No," she says, "I come here pretty often. I just usually come later in the day. I'm not able to come in this afternoon. I have to work today. It's a new job," she says.

"Oh," I say, "Yeah, I come here whenever I am home and I am in town."

"So you're not from Tampa?" she asks.

"I live in Tampa my job just involves a lot of travel," I say.

"For WWE," she says with a smile.

"How did you know I work for WWE?"

"I may be a fan of the product," she says with a smile. "Okay, I watch it religiously Mr. Roman Reigns."

I smile as I keep up my jog. "So you know I have a ring name Roman but my real name is Joe," I say.

"Joe," she says with a smile. "Willow," she says.

"Nice to meet you," I say with a smile. "So are you going to the show tonight? You know we're in town."

"Of course you're in town," she says with a deep southern drawl. "Or you wouldn't be here right now would you?"

"I guess not," I say with a smile. "So are you going to the show tonight?" I ask.

"I might check it out," she says with a smile before going back to her tablet. I get the hint she doesn't want to be bothered anymore so I put in my ear buds and pick up my pace on the treadmill occasionally sneaking glances at her but seeing that she is doing the same thing from time to time so I don't feel so stalker like. I eventually move from the treadmill to lift some weights as she does the same. She is impressive with how much she can lift. Her abs are better than mine. She is in shape, really good shape. Her arms flex perfect little muscles with each arm curl she does. Maybe I am watching her too much but I just can't keep my eyes off of her. Her legs are just as amazing, her calve muscles are perfect and her thighs muscular. I do my best trying to work out but the sight of her is distracting me and to her I don't even exist as she keeps up her workout. I shake my head snapping me back into my game and continue on with my work out. No matter how hard I try not to look at her and keep my focus my eyes are drawn to her and I find myself in the same area of the gym as she is most of the time until she finishes up her workout doing push-ups and sit-ups. It's no wonder she is so fit. The sweat glistens on her tan skin as she gets a drink of water. She walks over to me as I am doing the leg press. "Sorry to distract you," she says with a smile.

"Oh no, you didn't distract me," I say knowing that it's a lie. She did keep me distracted.

"Right," she says taking a drink of water. "I saw you watching me."

"I'm sorry," I say. "I didn't mean to stare."

"It happens all the time," she says with a smile, "so maybe I'll see you at the show tonight?"

"I thought you might check it out?"

"Maybe I will and maybe I won't, you'll just have to wait and see," she says with a smile before she walks out of the gym. She is too hot for words. Her body, her attitude everything about her is hot. I continue on with my workout so that I can go to get some lunch before I head to the arena for the show.

 **THAT EVENING:**

"When did you go to the gym?" asks my best friend Dean Ambrose as we are sitting in catering before the show starts eating our dinner.

"I went early this morning," I say, "I figured it was better to go early in the morning before the fans arrive you know what I mean?"

"Yeah," he says, "I have to start doing that."

"It was a much better atmosphere except I was distracted as all hell during my workout this morning."

"Why? There couldn't have been anyone there," he says.

"If there was anyone else there I surely didn't see them. I just saw one person. I met a chick."

"You always meet chicks," he says, "let me guess you got her phone number, you're taking her out after the show and getting laid tonight?"

"Well, that would be nice but no. She was serious into her workout. She was lifting 150 pounds in weights and pressing 200 pounds with her legs. The girl was boss at the gym she was definitely no stranger to it."

"Was she one of those manly looking chicks? I guess that's why you're not laying her tonight."

"Dean she was hot. She was really fucking hot but she just had this attitude about her that was telling me she didn't want to be bothered. Someone like her has to have a boyfriend. There's no way she's single and there I was drooling over her like some teenage school boy. She knew I was watching her. And her attitude she is a spitfire for sure. She has the most beautiful blue eyes and her hair was a reddish brown."

"You really were checking her out," he says.

"It was hard not to," I say, "but she gave the impression she wasn't interested. That's never happened before."

"Wow one woman in this world that can resist the Roman Reigns charm," he says, "must be tough."

"Shut up. It's never happened before," I say.

"Well, maybe you're not her type but she could also have a boyfriend too which is why she wasn't interested in talking to you or maybe she just wanted to work out without being bothered."

"Shit you're right," I say, " I hate people bothering me when I work out. She probably hates it too."

"See? Don't worry yourself about one woman that didn't give you the time of day. There are plenty of women out there that will. You know that."

"I know but there was just something about her."

"You will probably never see her again," says Dean, "so I wouldn't worry too much about her."

"You're right," I say but deep down I do hope to run into her again. I would love to see her again. It would be nice to see her again. "But it would be nice if I did."

"Okay, Romeo," says Dean. "Get your mind off this girl and get your mind on our tag team match tonight against Bo Dallas and Bray Wyatt. I need you focused on Wyatt not on some random chick you met at the gym. Focus all right?"

"All right," I say, "I'm focused."

"Good," he says.

Dean and I finish eating our meal before we head back to the locker room to prepare for our match. Once I have my ring gear on I start to warm up my muscles and stretch my muscles so that I don't tear or pull anything. Dean and I go over what we we're going to do in our match before I make my way to club level so I can make my entrance before my match. I stand waiting for my music to hit and as soon as it hits the crowd erupts in cheers. I make my way down the stairs through the crowd and to the ring. I bump fists with fans on my way before I reach the barricade. I climb up on the chair and step over the barricade looking out into the crowd before I make my way into the ring and do a few poses before Dean's music hits. I keep my eyes locked on Bray Wyatt and Bo Dallas as I wait for Dean to make his way into the ring. The match starts as soon as he's in the ring as Bray targets him. It is a back and forth tag team match and Dean and I do some work together. Dean and I end up winning the match. We pose for the crowd before we make our way up the ramp.

I stop in my tracks as we reach the backstage area as I come face to face with Willow dressed in Teal and purple ring gear. "Willow," I say.

"I told you maybe you would see me," she says with a smile. "And I believe the name is Storm."

"I didn't know you were a diva," I say.

"I've been in NXT for about 2 years you should really get caught up on NXT."

"I had no idea," I say, "so you're making your Raw debut?"

"Yeah," she says, "I'm about to take Nikki Bella out. I think it's overdue."

"I don't disagree," I say with a smile. "Why didn't you tell me that you were going to debut on Raw tonight better yet why didn't you tell me that you worked for WWE?"

She shrugs her shoulders and says, "I just didn't think it was important to talk about. I mean it's not something I announce to everyone."

"Now I get why you're a fan," I say, "I get it now."

"I knew you would," she says with a smile. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to make my debut on the main roster. Watch how I make an impact," she says with a smile as she walks to the curtain waiting for her music to cue.

"That's the girl you met in the gym?" asks Dean.

"Yeah," I say, "I had no idea she was a diva."

"She's been in NXT for 2 years she's one of the best. She was trained well. She started training when she was 16 years old. She is amazing. She knows the business well. Hunter and Stephanie are really big on her. I'm surprised it took her this long to get to the main roster but I'm glad she's here. She's going to shake up the divas division and it looks like her first target is Nikki Bella," he says as we watch it on the monitor as Nikki Bella stands in the ring holding onto her divas championship running her mouth about how she's the best diva there ever was and how she has no competition because she has beaten everyone in the back.

"How did I not know about her?"

"I don't know, Man," he says, "but she's fucking awesome and if you think you're getting a chance with her you better think again. She doesn't date wrestlers, which is why she wasn't interested in you."

"I'm up for the challenge," I say with a smile as I see her make her way down the ramp and listen to the crowd as they go wild.

"You want to put money on it?" he asks.

"Yeah," I say, "I bet you $100 that by the end of the month I will go out on a date with her."

"Okay," says Dean. "It's a deal."

"Okay," I say as I shake his hand as Willow makes her way into the ring and grabs a microphone.

"She's one hell of a talker too," he says as we continue to watch her in the ring.

She walks around Nikki in a circle looking her over a couple times before she puts the microphone up to her mouth. "Really? You're the Divas Champion, the divas division has really gone to hell hasn't it. You're not the best diva there's a lot you have to prove to me to everyone," she says.

"And who are you?" asks Nikki, "This is my ring."

"No, no, Nikki, that's where you're wrong, this was YOUR ring but I'm here now and it's MY ring now. You talk about having no real competition for your championship well here I am," she says. "I'm right here. Up until now you've run this place you have dominated the divas division not without the help of others of course but you have run this place but I'm here now and that's going to change. No one wants to hear your mouth anymore, no one wants to see you cheat your way to victory anymore. People want a change and I'm going to make that change. I'm coming for your championship, Nikki, I'm coming to destroy you. You thought all these little girls were your biggest competition. You haven't seen competition, you haven't seen the best till you step in the ring with me. You run around here in your little skirts, your little fearless Nike shoes, wearing your stupid little hats with your title over your shoulder in the last 200 something days you have defended it what 5 times? Spent most of your title reign on commentary or at ringside, it ends now, Nikki, change is here," she says before she puts the microphone down. Before Nikki can even respond Willow knocks the microphone out of her hand. Nikki looks shocked and pushes Willow. Willow jumps on Nikki and takes her down to the mat. She is getting the upper hand. She's throwing punches left and right. Nikki is barely defending herself. I've never seen anything like it. Willow stands up as Nikki stands with her. Nikki goes after Willow but she ducks before she spears Nikki to the ground. I smile at her using the spear as I watch her climb up to the top rope as Nikki lays in the middle of the ring. She does a perfect moonsault from the top rope and the crowd goes wild. She stands up with Nikki's title and holds it over her head. From what I saw Dean was not lying. She's amazing. She lays the belt down next to Nikki before making her way to the back.

"What a debut," I say as she walks through the curtain. "Impressive."

"Thanks," she says with a smile. "The divas division is changing and I'm going to be the one to make that change. It's been going on far too long now it's time for someone that's not afraid to change the division."

"I'm sure you will," I say with a smile. "I enjoyed seeing you do the spear."

"I bet you did," she says with a smile. "Have a goodnight, Joe," she says before she walks away. She's so frustrating but it makes me want her more.

"You better lower your bet," says Dean as he stands there. "It seems like you will have a lot of work to do before she even considers dating you."

"I'll take Willow out on a date, trust me. It will happen," I say.

"Good luck," he says, "that is not your typical woman. You have your hands full." He is right she is not like any woman I have met before; she's smart, she's strong, she's confident, she's cocky and she's not interested in me in the least. I am definitely in over my head.

 ***A/N: Is this a keeper or no? What do you think of Willow's personality? Why do you think Roman is so attracted to her? Do you think he stands a chance with her? What do you think of his bet with Dean about dating her? What do you think of Willow's debut is she shaking up the diva's division? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	2. Chapter 2

***I want to thank everyone that reviewed, followed, favorited and alerted this story. Thank-you all so much! It is greatly appreciated. You guys are the best!**

 **Willow's Point of View:**

Following RAW my best friends Emma, Zahra and me walk into one of the bars in Tampa, it's one of my favorite places to go when I am home and in town. I go pretty often when I'm not working. I am not sure what it is about it but I like hanging out in here. It's a typical bar, music blaring as we walk in, crowds of tourists and residents drinking having a good time, taking shots and dancing, playing pool or whatever they want to do. Guys' heads turn as we walk past them eying me in my white halter top baring my mid-drift and a pair of short shorts with tears on them and a pair of brown cowgirl boots and my hair French braided into pigtails as my friends have on their cute little dresses. We look good together as we walk past them making our way to the bar. "It's crowded tonight," I say.

"Yeah," says Emma as we make our way over to the bar. "It's crazy in here tonight."

"The midst of vacation season and WWE in town," I say, "it's expected."

"Yeah," says Emma. "The best night to celebrate WWE's newest diva. You were so awesome tonight. I can't wait to see where your feud with Nikki goes. It's going to be exciting."

"Hopefully it ends with me holding that Divas Championship in my hands. My dad would be so proud."

"I bet," says Emma. "Have you talked to him since your debut?"

"Briefly," I say as we reach the bar. "He was pretty proud of me. He said he got tears in his eyes when he saw me walk out to the ring. He said it was definitely a proud dad moment. I have to admit walking out there tonight was amazing. It was one of the most amazing moments of my life," I say as I smile at the blue-eyed bartender who comes to me immediately.

"Hey, Sweetie," he says with a smile, "what can I get for you?"

"The usual," I say, "A few shots of tequila and a couple beers," I say.

"You got it," he says, "Haven't seen you around here for a while, where've you been?"

"Orlando mostly working and training to get into the ring," I say, "I made my debut tonight."

"Damn, you go girl," he says with a smile. "Congratulations."

"Thanks, Andrew," I say with a smile. Andrew and I go way back. When I was in college here in Tampa he went to school with me. We worked together in this same bar through college and we had a relationship for couple years before I got even more serious into my wrestling training. It's something I always wanted to do even though I hold a degree in Elementary Education wrestling has always been my passion ever since I first saw my dad in the ring. I wanted to be like him. He's my hero and ever since that's what I wanted to do. I was bred to be a wrestler. Andrew and I didn't work out but he remains one of my best friends in this world.

"You're welcome, Baby Girl," he says as he goes to get our drinks.

He brings them back to us and as I am getting ready to pay him I hear a deep familiar voice behind me. "They're on me," he says, "put everything of hers on my tab," says the man.

"Thank-you but…" I say as I turn around. "Roman."

"Willow," he says with a smile. "Your drinks are on me tonight. Have fun," he says with a smile. "This is my gift to you for making your WWE debut."

"You didn't even know I was a diva," I say, "you don't' have to put us on your tab. I can open my own tab."

"No," he says, "I got this one," he says, "come hang out with us. Dean, Seth and I are here having a good time. You guys should come hang out with us."

"I think we're good," I say grabbing our drinks handing each of the girls their shots of tequila. "But thank-you."

"Come on," he says with his smile. I don't know what Roman is doing but ever since I ran into him at the gym this morning he has been popping up randomly everywhere I am. It's creepy.

"No," I say before I take a shot. "I think we're good. And what are you doing, Pretty Boy? Stalking me?"

He lets out a chuckle and says, "No just at the right place at the right time," he says, "running into you is my favorite part of my day."

"Smooth, Romeo," I say. "Real smooth."

"Come on," he says, "hang out with us."

"It wouldn't be too bad," says Zahra. "We should do it."

"Emma?"

"I'm fine with that," she says.

"Okay," I say with a smile.

"Wonderful," says Roman with a smile before the girls take their shots and we follow Roman to his VIP area of the bar. I am not surprised he has VIP status around here. He is one of the top WWE superstars, women throw themselves at him, he is good at what he does, I'm not surprised at all. "Guys," says Roman as we reach his private section hidden off from the crowd, "this is Willow and her friends," he says looking at me.

"Emma and Zahra," I say.

"Emma and Zahra," he repeats as I feel his hand wrap around my waist and his large Samoan hand rest on my hip sending a shock of electricity through me. I quickly remove his arm from around me and he looks at me apologetically. "Have a seat, Ladies, make yourselves comfortable. We have drinks non-stop come join the party."

"Thanks," I say as I take a seat on the leather couch as Emma and Zahra do the same. Roman takes a seat next to me as I open my bottle of beer before taking a swig. "VIP huh?"

"Yeah," he says, "It's what I do."

"Yeah I noticed," I say with a soft smile.

"Do you come here a lot?" asks Roman.

"Any time I'm home," I say. "I used to work here."

"Oh really," he says as he takes a swig of his own beer. "Never pictured you as the bartender type."

"It helped me get through school," I say.

"I hear you," he says with a smile as he wraps his arm around my shoulders and I again feel the electricity between us as I pull away and he gets the hint. "So you live here in Tampa?"

"Yeah but lately I have been back and forth between here and Orlando to get more training in."

"I see," he says, "I live in Tampa too. I remember the days of traveling back and forth between here and Orlando. It wasn't that bad."

"No not at all," I say, "I always thought it would be longer but it was only about 2 hours of trip. Not bad at all."

"No," he says. "So how do you feel about making your debut tonight?"

"It was one of the most amazing feelings I have ever felt in my life. Walking out in front of all those people and feeling the vibrations of their cheers. I was amazed. I knew I had fans but never that many fans."

"They went crazy and I don't blame them. You were impressive."

"That was nothing," I say, "wait till you see me in real in-ring action."

"I can't wait to see," he says with a smile. "The bartender seemed friendly with you is he a boyfriend?"

"No," I say with a smile. "He's one of my best friends. He is an ex-boyfriend though but now we're just really good friends."

"Good to know," he says with a soft smile as he looks at me with his blue-grey eyes. They are the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. Roman may be one of the most beautiful men on this Earth. I can't deny that. He is like a Samoan God it's no surprise he has women falling down at his feet. He is perfection in every sense of the word and breathtakingly gorgeous of course I like the attention he is giving me but I'm going to be honest with myself he is not the guy for me and I am not the girl for him. Plus I don't date other wrestlers it can get too messy and I know my dad will not approve especially since he is a wrestler himself, a part-time wrestler but he lived the life. He knows what it's like. He has always told me never get involved with a wrestler it's not good for business and it's not good for me. I have to agree with him. I have never been attracted to a wrestler before, until Roman. "So you're single?" he asks leaning over and whispering into my ear.

"Yeah," I say, "you?"

"Very single," he says as he adjusts his blue jeans. He looks pretty good in his black beater and his blue jeans and his Nike sneakers, his hair pulled neatly into a bun. "So you want to do some shots?"

"Hell yeah," I say with a smile. He calls the waitress over and she's so flustered by his looks that she stumbles over her own feet and I just shake my head. He's just a person, a beautiful person but nonetheless he's a person. He orders us a round of shots.

We all gather around the small table as the waitress brings us our shots. We all take our shots of tequila and they are strong, very strong. We end up taking at least 9 rounds of shots on top of drinking about 2 beers and 2 mixed drinks of cranberry and vodka. "You can handle your alcohol," says Roman as his blue-grey eyes are glazing over. I know he's feeling the effects of the alcohol.

"Us Houston girls know how to handle their alcohol," I say with a smile.

"You're from Houston?" he asks as we sit back down on the couch next to each other.

"Born and raised," I say.

"So why are you in Tampa?"

"School, training even though I had most of my training in Houston, I had to do some time in NXT."

"I hear you," he says, "my dad trained me."

"My dad trained me too," I say.

"Your dad is in the business?"

"He's a legend," I say, "yours was too?"

"We're a Dynasty," he says with a smile.

"Cool," I say.

"So you're with WWE now? Does that mean you're going to be traveling with us more?"

"I figured that was the point of me debuting tonight, Pretty Boy, in case you didn't notice. You're stuck with me on the road for now."

"I wouldn't say stuck," he says, "I think I might enjoy it."

"Right, Pretty Boy," I say with a smile, "but I am going for that Divas championship."

"Good luck," he says.

"Thanks," I say with a smile. "Do you dance, Pretty Boy?"

"I have a few moves," he says with a smile. "Do you want to dance?"

"Yeah," I say with a smile, "Come on," I say as I stand up and he stands up with me. He follows me out of the VIP section down to the crowd of people on the floor dancing to the latest techno music blaring from the speakers as the DJ spins the track.

Roman and I take the floor I am impressed by his skills. We're practically making love out on the dance floor as we dance, close together, bumping and grinding with one another, his large hands rubbing my stomach as we dance as I wrap my arms around his neck and dance with him. Our body heat rising, the flow of electricity flowing through our interaction. Our sweat mixing together, I feel every hard line of his muscles in his chest against my back as I dance with him. I have never been hotter in a club than I am right now dancing with Roman. I don't know what it is about this man but I find myself getting very close to breaking my rules and pretty much my dad's rules but I know with Roman I will just be another victory in his game and just another notch in his belt. There have been a lot of women. I don't want to be one of the ones that he plays with for a week and gets tired of. I'm focused on my career and I don't need his distraction. "I think we're done," I say suddenly snapping myself back to reality and moving away from him. "It's getting late and I think the girls and I should get back to my apartment."

"Why don't you come back to my place," he says, "hang out for a little bit?"

"You and I both know that's not a good idea, Pretty Boy. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he says as we make our way back to the VIP section so I can get Emma and Zahra so we can head back to my place to continue what was supposed to be a girls night but turned into me ignoring them to hang out with Roman.

We walk into our private section to see Zahra and Seth making out on the couch, Emma is sitting by herself on her phone and Dean is nowhere to be found. I clear my throat causing Seth and Zahra to break apart. "I think it's time we got back to my place," I say, "it's getting late and we need to be on the road to Orlando early in the morning for Smackdown."

"She's right," says Zahra as she stands up, fixing her dress as she smiles at Seth. I roll my eyes as she puts his number into her phone and he does the same.

"So, can I get your number?" asks Roman with a hopeful smile.

"Um, No," I say, "I don't think so."

"Okay," he says with his smile fading and defeat in his voice. "Would you like to go out sometime, you know to get something to eat or whatever?"

"No, Roman," I say, "I don't think that's a good idea."

"All right," he says with even more defeat and I feel bad. I have to stick to my own rules, my own promises. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow at Smackdown?"

"See you tomorrow at Smackdown," I say, "Thanks for the drinks," I say as I motion for him to lean his ear down to me. I whisper in his ear, "It's going to take more than a few drinks and some sexy dance moves to get me to date you." He nods his head and with that I tell him goodbye and the girls and me are on our way to catching a cab back to my apartment.

 **WILLOW's APARTMENT:**

"You and Roman looked pretty cozy tonight," says Zahra as we are sitting in my living room.

"Says the person that had her tongue down Seth Rollins' throat what was THAT?"

"Me having a good time," she says with a smile. "The man is hot what can I say."

"Yeah, I don't see anything hot about him but if that's what you like then go for it you do know he has a fiancée right?"

"Hey, I wasn't the only one kissing," she says with a shrug. "If he was willing I wasn't denying like you did with Roman."

"He asked me to go back to his place," I say.

"Why didn't you?" asks Zahra.

"Because that is so unlike Willow," says Emma. "You know that."

"Correct, Emma," I say with a smile, "and Roman is hot and all. He's a beautiful species of a man BUT totally not my type. I mean he has his looks but the way he plays with girls I am not the type of girl for him. He is used to flipping that hair and pouting out those beautiful lips and dropping panties. My panties aren't dropping for him because he is sexy or because he has awesome dance moves or he flips his hair or pouts out those beautiful lips or has the most beautiful eyes. I know what kind of guy he is and that's not the kind of guy I want to date."

"He was into you," says Zahra, "how did you not see that?"

"I saw it but it will never work with us. He has all these women throwing themselves at him and he's asking me out on a date? Why me?"

"Because you're beautiful, Hun," says Zahra.

"I know but I am not his type at all," I say.

"You like him," she says with a smile.

"Whether I like him or not he doesn't have a chance with me, I don't date wrestlers," I say, "I never have and I never will."

"We'll see," says Zahra.

"There's nothing to see, he asked me out, I said no end of story," I say.

"Or just the beginning of one," she says with a smile. I roll my eyes at her and lay down on my living room floor. "You're not going to sleep are you?"

"It's been a long crazy night and I'm driving our crazy asses to Orlando in a couple hours you may want me awake for that."

"True," she says, "but you should really think about giving Roman a chance. I don't think he's a bad guy."

"I'm sure he isn't but just not the guy for me. Goodnight, Z."

"Goodnight, Willow," she says.

 **THE NEXT NIGHT**

 **ROMAN's POINT OF VIEW:**

I am walking around the backstage area when I run into Emma one of Willow's friends. "Hey, Emma," I say with a smile.

"Hey, Roman," she says in her Australian accent.

"Do you have a couple minutes?" I ask.

"Sure what's up?" she asks.

"You know Willow pretty well huh?"

"We're best friends," she says, "I know her pretty well. What's up?"

"I really like her. The moment I first saw her I was hooked. I thought everything was going well with us last night at the bar but then she got distant. Did I do something wrong?"

"Willow isn't into wrestlers," she says, "she has this rule that she is not going to get involved with a wrestler. I don't know why but that's just a rule she has. Maybe she felt herself getting too close and decided it was time to go. I don't really know for sure."

"So you don't think I have a chance with her?"

"I don't know to be honest, Roman," she says. "I wish I could answer that for you but I can't. She says she doesn't date wrestlers but at the same time she seemed to enjoy herself with you last night you just aren't her type of guy."

"Okay," I say, "what kind of guy does she like?"

"Willow may come off as a bad ass and a little rough on the edges but that's how she was raised but deep down she's a sweet and sensitive girl. She doesn't want a guy that sleeps with every woman he meets. That's not what she's looking for. She's looking for someone that's real. Someone that can be romantic, someone that's going to support her dreams of being a wrestler and respecting her passion for this business. She wants someone she can have fun with, let loose with and someone that's going to make her their whole world, someone to call her beautiful and not hot. She doesn't want someone that can't do any of that. She's a different type of girl. She's rough and bad ass but she has a really big heart and she's a sweet girl. She's just looking for a sweet guy that she can joke around with and be the world to."

"Okay," I say, "what is she into? Does she have anything other than wrestling that she's into?"

"Books," she says, "She likes books. She's really into reading."

"Like chick lit?" I ask.

"Classic literature," she says, "she loves classic literature American and British."

"Okay I'm not familiar with literature. Does she have a favorite author?"

"Harper Lee," she says, "she's into To Kill a Mockingbird and she likes Wuthering Heights. Those are her two favorite books. She likes Thomas Hardy too."

"I see," I say, "I have no idea what they are. Does she like romance?"

"She's into literature, of course she likes romance she wants a romantic hero like the ones she reads about in her literature. She doesn't want someone that's going to play games with her. If she's going to give her heart to anyone, she's going to do it for something real. If you want a chance with her Roman, you might want to brush up on the romance and read a few novels. Prove to her that you can be the guy that she wants. She isn't really into the panty dropping, hair flipping, lip pouting Roman, show her your heart and she'll show you hers. That's all I can tell you," she says.

"Thanks," I say with a smile. "You have no idea how much you've helped me today."

"I'm glad," she says, "I'll see you around."

"Okay," I say, "Bye, Emma."

"Bye, Roman," she says as I smile to myself. I finally know the way to Willow's heart and I plan to get there by showing her I can be like one of her romantic heroes in the books she reads and that I can be romantic. I don't know what it is about Willow but ever since I met her yesterday she has become the perfect storm in my life. I need to brush up on my literature find a few quotes and hopefully show her my heart.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Willow and Roman at the bar? Do you think Roman has a chance with Willow or no? Do you think that deep down Willow has feelings for him but just won't go against her rules or she more turned off by the way he treats women? What did you think of Roman asking Emma for advice on Willow? Do you think that this will help him win her heart by reading literature and quoting some books? Does Roman have the potential to be the guy that Willow wants in her life? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	3. Chapter 3

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

I am sitting in my locker room that I share with my best friends Dean and Seth. We always share a locker room together. We have since we came into the business together even though in our storylines we have gone separate ways we still have a really strong brotherhood. We remain best friends off the camera, we travel together and hang out together. I am sitting in the locker room in my ring gear trying to read a book by Emily Bronte but it's not going so well. I just can't get into it. I don't understand it but I'm trying. The last couple weeks I have been trying to get Willow to go out with me on a date but every time I ask her she shuts me down and tells me no but she is starting to become a really good friend of mine. We hang out after shows and we work out together at the gym but other than that she is not budging on going out with me. I have been leaving little love quotes from classic literature that I found on the internet in her locker room and giving it to her. I think it's a sweet gesture. I am hoping that it works but I don't know. I'm struggling with the book as Dean and Seth walk into the locker room. "Well, look who is here," says Dean with a laugh. "You know the month is almost over."

"I know but I still have 2 more weeks," I say as I close the book.

"What are you reading, Man?" asks Seth. "Wuthering Heights," he says with a laugh. "Dude, I'm gonna have to take your man card."

"Wow, Ro," says Dean, "you're really desperate to get a date with Willow. She's not interested in you. If she wanted to date you don't you think she would have said yes the last few times you asked her. You're probably creeping her out because you keep asking her out on a date and now you're reading Emily Bronte," he says, "Seth is right someone needs to take your man card."

"I'm not really reading it. There are words that I don't understand and words that I don't like. I'm bored. It's not my thing."

"Then why are you reading it?" asks Seth.

"Because Willow likes books like this and I like Willow and I want to go out with her so I have to do this to get to her."

"It's not worth it," says Seth, "Dean give him the $100 and put him out of his misery."

"It's not about the $100," I say, "it's about the fact I like Willow and she drives me crazy. She is the most stubborn, hard headed and frustrating female I have ever met but she is beautiful and she's smart. She's different."

"I don't think any chick is worth reading that to get into her panties," says Seth.

"I'm not trying to get into her panties," I say. "I'm actually trying to be genuine and go out on a date with her but she's not budging so I'm trying it this way. Emma said she wants a man like her literary heroes but this guy isn't even a hero he's dark and evil. All he wants is revenge. Is that the kind of man she wants? Someone that wants revenge and is evil? I don't get it."

"I don't know. I can't say that I ever read a book for a chick," says Seth, "Did you ever try to be yourself with her? I'm sure she doesn't want someone that's pretending to be someone they're not. Let's be honest, Roman we know that you're not into literature. You probably couldn't answer one thing about literature except that it is in a book. Stop torturing yourself and be yourself. You might impress her that way. Let her see the real you."

"I have let her see the real me, she doesn't want anything to do with the real me, " I say.

"Then maybe for once in your life there is a female that's not interested in you," says Dean. "It's hard to swallow I know but stop torturing the poor girl. If you want the $100 that badly I'll give it to you and call off this stupid bet. You're torturing yourself by reading a book you don't understand and one that you probably don't even like. Just give it up."

"Dean, it's not about the bet. It's about her. Willow is different. She's sassy, she's smart, she's beautiful I'm falling in love with her every day. She gets close and then she backs away. It's like she likes me too but she's scared to even consider dating me. Sure I may have slept with a few women, okay maybe a lot of women but I can be a sweet guy too. I can focus my mind and heart on one person. Willow is that person. I really like her."

"Oh my God," says Dean, "I can't handle this shit. I can't believe I am hearing the biggest player in the game say he's willing to settle for ONE chick that wants nothing to do with him. Give it up, Roman, Willow doesn't date wrestlers. She has said it before. She doesn't want to date you so just give it up."

"I'm going to try one more time at least," I say. "I have to try just one more time."

"You're crazy," says Dean. "What is it about this chick can you tell me? Because from what I see even though she is amazing in the ring she doesn't really turn me on."

"Good, I'm glad she doesn't turn you on," I say, "because then you would be trying to lay her."

"No I wouldn't," says Dean. "I would not."

"I know you, Dean, you would do just that. You would be right in line trying to lay her."

"Guys," says Seth, "Willow doesn't want to be laid. She's not the type of girl for all that. She wants romance, cards, flowers and candy. That's what she wants. She wants a guy that is going to be the light to her day, the light in her darkness, the light in her storm. She wants someone that is going to take time for her, make her the world. She knows about you, Roman. She knows your reputation. That's what is holding her back. She doesn't like fake people either so before you screw up any chance with her by pretending that you're into her favorite kind of literature remember to be yourself. You can't erase the past and what you've done but you can prove to her that you are worthy enough for her and then there is the fact she doesn't date wrestlers but I know she has talked about breaking that rule if the right guy came along."

"How do you know all this?"

"I'm going out with her best friend," says Seth, "I talked to Z about your problem and that's what she told me about Willow. So put the books down and just be yourself. Express yourself to her."

"That's easier said than done," I say.

"She's not stupid, Roman, she's going to see right past your fake knowledge of literature. No woman is worth changing or losing yourself over because you want to go out with her."

"I'll do what I want to do," I say. "This might work."

"Good luck." He says, "I just don't want to see you get hurt, Roman."

"I'll be fine," I say as I pick up the book and continue to read it.

 **Willow's POINT OF VIEW:**

"Hey, Daddy!" I say to my dad as I am talking to him on my cell phone as I walk into the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia PA for Monday night Raw. I show security my badge and they let me through.

"Hey, Baby," says my dad in his southern drawl. "How are you?"

"Good," I say with a smile as I make my way to my locker room. "I'm coming home to see you next week."

"I'm looking forward to it," he says and I can hear his smile in his voice. I love my dad. He is the greatest person in my life. We have a really close relationship. He is my best friend. He is the reason I do what I do because I wanted to be just like him when I grew up. I used to watch him wrestle every match. I was born two days after he made his debut in the WWE, the WWF back then. I grew up watching him on TV. Every Monday night I was in front of the TV watching him in the ring. He will always be my favorite wrestler. I have not missed a Wrestlemania my whole life. I have been going since I was a few months old. My dad is a legend in this business, people respect him. People love him. He is married to this business. He could have given it up a long time ago but he keeps doing it because he loves it so much of course as he's gotten older he has cut back wrestling one match a year sometimes two if he feels up to it but I don't think my dad will ever walk away from this business. He will always be a part of it whether it's in the ring or behind the scenes. It's what he loves and has loved for the last 25 years. He has put his body through hell for this business and has put on some of the best matches in history. I'm proud of him. If I can do half the stuff he has done and have the history he has I will be accomplished but most of all the only thing I really want to do is make him proud. "I can't wait to see you," he says.

"I can't wait to see you either. I miss you."

"I miss you too," he says, "but soon we'll be together again. I've enjoyed watching you on TV the last couple weeks. You're doing amazing."

"Thanks, Daddy," I say, "Did you see that I have my first Divas championship match against Nikki Bella at the pay-per-view in a couple weeks?"

"I saw that," he says and I can hear the proudness in his voice. "Not even on the main roster for 2 weeks and you're already going after the divas championship. I knew you were destined to do this and you did it all on your own."

"Because even though you're my dad I don't want anyone to ever think I got this far because of that. I wanted them to see I worked my ass off to get here and worked my ass off to be in this business."

"I know and no one can ever take that away from you," he says making me smile.

"Will you be there for my first divas championship match?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world. I will be there," he says as I walk into my locker room to see a piece of paper hanging where I am putting my stuff.

"Thank-you, Daddy," I say with a smile. "It means so much to me that you're there."

"I'll be there, I promise."

"Okay, Daddy," I say with a smile, "well, I am in my locker room right now. I'll call you later. I have to get ready for Raw. I have a match tonight. I want to get prepared."

"Okay," he says. "I love you, Scout."

"I love you too, Daddy," I say with a smile as he calls me my childhood nickname. I was a tomboy growing up and didn't really hang out with the girls in the neighborhood. I was too busy out in the woods hanging with my twin brother and hanging out with his friends. My dad said I always reminded him of Scout from To Kill A Mockingbird one of my favorite books of all time. "I'll talk to you later and we can set up arrangements for me to come to Texas."

"Okay," he says. "Bye, Scout."

"Bye, Daddy," I say before I hang up the phone. I grab the piece of paper in front of me. _You have bewitched me body and soul._ "I got another one," I say to Emma as she comes into the locker room.

"Another what?"

"Love quote from one of the Bronte sisters," I say, "whoever is sending them must really like the Bronte sisters."

"Wow," she says, "whoever is leaving those must really like you."

"I know," I say, "it's so sweet. Like this one I love it," I say pulling out my papers of love quotes some secret admirer has been leaving for me. "How sweet is this one? Sometimes the person you really need is the one you didn't think you wanted. Or how about this one Perhaps it is our imperfections that make us perfect for each other. And then this one If I loved you less I might be able to talk about it more. Whoever is doing this is amazing. They know their stuff."

"Or maybe just finding love quotes," she says. "They are really good. Whoever the guy is he must really like you."

"So why not talk to me? Why leave little love quotes in my locker room. I would love to meet the man that left these," I say with a smile as I pull out my wrestling gear. "Do you know who it is?"

"No," she says, "I have no idea. They're usually in here before I come in. Maybe one of the other girls have seen something."

"I'll figure it out," I say. "Whoever it is has the sweetest heart. Those are quotes from some of my favorite authors."

"Oh," says Emma. "It's sweet."

"I know," I say, "I have to get ready for my match. I'll talk to you later and if you hear anything let me know okay?"

"Okay," she says with a smile before she walks out of the locker room as I start to change out of my street clothes into my ring gear. Once I have my ring gear on I do some stretches in the locker room to get my body ready for competition. The last thing I want is an injury. I have worked too hard and come too far to let an injury hold me back from achieving my dream.

After I stretch out and get my body warmed up I make my way out of my locker room to go to catering to get something to eat because I am starving. I am walking through the hallways and I run into Roman sitting on a trunk reading a book. I walk up to him and say, "what's up, Pretty Boy?"

"Nothing," he says, "I'm just reading."

"Wuthering Heights," I say with a nod. "I never expected you to be an Emily Bronte fan. I'm impressed."

"Oh yeah," he says closing the book, "I love Emily Bronte she is one of my favorite authors."

"Really?" I ask. "So you like Wuthering Heights?"

"It's one of my favorite books," he says making me smile. "She has good work."

"So is this your favorite book by her?" I ask.

"Yeah," he says.

"You don't like any of her other books?"

"I haven't really read any of her other books," he says making me smirk.

"Really, Pretty Boy?"

"Really," he says with a smile. "I have plans to go check out her other stuff because this book is amazing."

"You might be searching for a while," I say. "And still you won't find anything."

"Why?" he asks.

"Because that's the only novel Emily Bronte has ever written," I say, "she has no other works."

"Oh," he says.

"Yeah," I say, "what are you up to, Pretty Boy? Why are you reading a book you don't really care about," I say as I sit next to him on the trunk.

He lets out a deep breath, "because of you."

"Because of me?" I ask. "What do I have to do with you reading Wuthering Heights?"

"Because I know how much you like literature and you like books. I know you like that stuff."

"You do?" I ask, "How do you know that?"

"I talked to Emma," he says.

"Oh, Emma told you I like books. I see why didn't you just ask me?"

"Because you're hard to talk to, Willow, you're such a mystery to me. You have this guard up and you don't let it down. You come close but you throw it back up again when we get closer. I just wanted to do something that would impress you. I really like you, Willow."

"So talk to me about it don't ask my friends about me and don't make yourself look like a fool to me. I don't like it that much."

"You don't let me talk to you that's the problem."

"I do let you talk to me, Roman but every time we talk you want to talk about wrestling or ask me out on a date. You never really sit down to talk to me."

"If I talked would you talk to me?"

"I'm talking to you now aren't I?" I ask. "You don't have to read literature or read books you don't care about to impress me."

"What do I have to do to impress you?" he asks.

"Be yourself," I say, "I kind of like who you are. I don't like people that are fake. I like the real person."

"If you kind of like me why won't you date me?"

"Because I don't date wrestlers, Roman. I never said I didn't like you."

"So you do like me?" he asks.

I smile up at him with my blue eyes and his blue grey orbs meet mine. He gives me a smile in return. "I can't ignore that you're good looking and that's an understatement, you're hot. I'm not immune to your hot factor," I say with a smile, "I like hanging out with you, hanging out at the clubs and bars, hanging out at the gym, hanging out backstage. I do like it but I have never dated a wrestler before. I never even thought about it until I met you. I like to give you a hard time and pick on you, Pretty Boy. I like to make you sweat. I didn't want to be something easy for you but look at you, sitting here reading Emily Bronte to impress me even though you hate it."

"I don't hate it," he says, "I just don't understand it."

"Okay but you're doing it for me. Is it you that have been leaving those little quotes for me too?"

"Yes," he says. "That was me."

"You did that for me?"

"Yeah," he says. "I really like you, Willow. And you frustrate me every time you tell me no about going out on a date with me. I had to do something to show you how much I like you even if it meant sitting down to read a book I don't understand or searching the internet for love quotes that express how I feel about you. Call me crazy if you want but I like you and I want to date you. I will do anything."

I smile at him, "no one has ever done that for me before. I'm impressed."

"You are?"

"Yeah," I say with a smile. "The quotes were perfect. I loved them. I carry them with me to every show. I just wanted to make sure you were truly into me and I would just be another lay for you."

"Of course I'm not interesting in laying you, well not yet anyway but I am interested in dating you and getting to know you."

"Of course, Pretty Boy, you would want to get laid out of the deal," I say.

"Not at first," he says. "That's not my intention with you. My intention is to date you and fall in love with you."

"Nice intention," I say with a smile. "Are you going to ask me out or what?"

"Depends are you going to say yes or no?"

"Well, that would all depend on if you ask me or not. You have to ask me if you want your answer."

"Damn it, Willow," he says, "you're so frustrating."

"And you like me frustrating so go on and do it, Pretty Boy."

"Willow, will you let me take you out on a date?" he asks making me smile.

"Yes, Pretty Boy. I'll go out on a date with you," I say smiling at him making him smile.

"When would you like to go out?"

"Well, you're in Tampa and I'm Tampa we could go out when we get back home if that works for you."

"That works for me," he says with a smile.

"Good," I say with a smile. "Now I have to go get food from catering. Do you want to come with me or do you want to get back to reading your book?"

"I think I'll join you," he says with a smile as we get off the trunk and make our way to catering together to get something to eat before the show.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Roman reading one of Willow's favorite books just to impress her? What about him leaving her little love quotes in her locker room? Does Roman have it bad for Willow? What do you think of Willow's relationship with her father? Do they seem close? What were your thoughts on Willow confronting Roman while he was reading Emily Bronte? Did you think she would talk to him the way she did? What did you think of Roman asking her out on a date? What did you think about her saying yes? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	4. Chapter 4

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. they were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much.***

I walk into Willow's apartment building. I let the man sitting at the desk know that I am there to see Willow. He buzzes her and she tells him to send me up. I nod at him as I make my way to the elevator. I make my way to her 3rd floor apartment. I straighten out my grey button down shirt and my black jeans as I step off the elevator. I smile as I make it to her door. I can't wait to see her. I have been thinking about this date all week. I can't believe she finally agreed to date me. I want to make it a good date. I knock on the door and she opens it with a smile on her face. She looks beautiful. Her reddish brown hair hanging down to middle of her back in beautiful waves as she looks at me with her beautiful clear blue eyes. She's wearing a pair of jean shorts that come to the middle of her thighs and have rips and tears on them. Her shirt is a beautiful bright blue shirt with a sky blue cami underneath it. It brings out her beautiful eyes. "Hey," I say with a smile as I hand her a bouquet of flowers. "I got these for you."

"Thanks," she says inviting me into her apartment. "Let me put these in water and then we can get going."

"Okay," I say with a smile as I stand in her apartment as she goes to her kitchen to get a vase to put the flowers in. "You have a nice apartment," I say as I look around.

"Thanks," she calls from the kitchen. "My dad insisted on getting it for me. I told him I didn't need his help but he insisted."

"That's cool of him," I say as I smile.

"My dad is cool like that," she says.

"And you have this whole place to yourself?" he asks.

"No," I say, "Zahra lives here too. I didn't want to live here by myself," she says as she comes out of the kitchen. "After I broke up with my boyfriend Andrew a couple years ago he moved out and I met Zahra in training and we clicked and then she ended up becoming my roommate. Your friend Seth is here a lot. Doesn't he have a fiance?"

"Yeah," I say. "Supposed to." She shakes her head and I smile. "So are you ready to go?"

"Yeah," she says with a smile as she grabs her purse. "Where are we going?"

"I thought I would take you out for dinner and then take you to play some mini-golf what do you think?"

"That works for me," she says with a smile. She guides me to the door and I open the door and walk out before her so she can shut the door and lock it behind her.

Once we get to the lobby of her apartment building we make our way out to the street in the humid Tampa weather in the middle of June. I have grown used it after living in Florida all my life. It gets hot and humid in the summer it's what we're used to. We walk to my black SUV I open the passenger's door for her and help her into the car before I shut the door. I make my way around to the driver's side, open the door and climb in. "I hope you don't mind sushi," I say as I buckle my seatbelt as she does the same.

"I love sushi," she says with a smile as I start the engine.

"A girl after my own heart," I say as I pull into the traffic. "I was hoping that you weren't a vegetarian or anything."

"I grew up in Texas," she says, "There is no way I would ever survive being a vegetarian or a vegan. We eat steak when we get our first tooth."

"I see," I say with a smile, "and you like sushi?"

"I love it," she says, "It's one of my favorite things. I'm also a really big seafood lover. I love some crab legs and lobster. I love oysters too," she says in her deep accent. It is deeper than my own. She really was raised in the heart of Texas.

"You'll fit in just right with me and my family," I say with a smile. "We love our seafood too."

"How can you not?" she asks, "it's amazing."

"I agree," I say with a smile as I drive us to my favorite place to get sushi in Tampa.

I pull into the parking lot of the restaurant and put the car into park. I try to get out before her so that I can help her out of the SUV but she gets out of the car when I do. She is independent. We walk to the door of the restaurant and instead of me holding the door for her she holds the door for me allowing me to walk in first before she joins me at my side. "I love this place," she says.

"Me too. I come here a lot."

"So do I," she says as we are escorted to a table off in a corner somewhere so that we can have our privacy. "It's funny that we have never run into each other before the gym."

"I know," I say, "I had no idea you lived around the corner from me."

"Neither did I," she says with a smile .

After we get our drinks we make our way to the sushi bar to fill up our plates with sushi. I never saw a woman eat like her. She gets two plates of sushi and it makes me smile. She's not shy at all. I don't like when girls are shy about their food. I like a woman with a good appetite. We make our way back to the table and take a seat across from each other. "So," I say before I take my first bite of sushi as she does the same. "What made you get into the wrestling business?"

"My dad," she says, "he is my hero. I watched every match of his growing up. I haven't missed a Wrestlemania since I was a baby. I'm proud of my dad's legacy and I wanted to carry it on. That's why I got into the business. I want to make him proud and I want his legacy to live on through me when he's all done with the business."

"Who is your dad?' I ask.

"Undertaker," she says.

"Are you serious? You're the Undertaker's daughter?"

"Yes," she says with a smile. "I am the Undertaker's daughter, why is everyone shocked when they find out?"

"Because you just never mentioned it before and you don't really look like him."

"Because I look like my mom," she says. "And I don't run around the back telling everyone that my dad is Taker because I don't want people to think that I am only here because of him. That is far from the truth. He started training me when I was 16 years old but when I turned 18 I went to college for 4 years and while I was in college I was working out and working on my training. I got my try out for developmental probably 2 months after I graduated college. I made it and here I am in WWE on the main roster going after the Divas championship."

"I understand," I say as we eat our sushi.

"I worked really hard to get to where I am today. I mean my dad played a part in it but he didn't get me my job. He let me work by myself and achieve it on my own. He could have easily called Hunter and Vince and told them to give me a tryout and sign me but he didn't he let me do the hard work like everyone else. What about you? What made you get into the wrestling business?"

"Well, it wasn't always what I had planned on doing," I say, "I wanted to play for the NFL but it didn't work out that way. I played college football and went undrafted in the draft. I got contracted to a couple football teams in the NFL but my time on them was short. I started to play football in Canada until I got cut from the team. I had to make a decision on what I wanted to do. If I wanted to continue to pursue football or try to get into the wrestling business, I tried so hard to avoid getting into the business. I wanted to do something different than most of my family but I found myself in my dad's gym being trained by him and then I was here in Tampa working before it became NXT. I never really planned on a wrestling career it just happened to fall in my lap and here I am."

"I see," she says, "and who is your dad?"

"Sika," I say. "You know Sika and Afa."

"So you're part of the Samoan Dynasty," she says, "it all makes sense now. Your family has quite the legacy in the company."

"Yeah," I say with a nod. "So how old are you?"

"Didn't anyone ever tell you to never ask a woman how old she was? Geez, you have to work on your manners," she says and I'm starting to pick up on her humor.

"I'm sorry, forgive me," I say with a smile.

"I'm 24," she says, "I'll be 25 in November."

"I see," I say.

"And how old are you?" she asks before eating some more sushi.

"30," I answer her. "I turned 30 last month."

"I see," she says. "So you went to college? What did you take up as a major?"

"I took up management at Georgia Tech."

"I see," she says, "Scholarship?"

"Yes I got a full ride to college," I say. "What about you. Where did you go to college and what did you take up?"

"University of Tampa and I have my degree in Elementary Education."

"That's cool," I say, "So you like kids?"

"I do like kids but I don't plan on having any in the future," she says.

"Why not?" I ask.

"Because wrestling is my life, I don't want to give it up to be a mom. It's just not something that I want in life. I love kids but I don't want any of my own. What about you? Do you like kids?"

"I have a 7 year old daughter," I say. "I love kids."

"You have a daughter?" she asks.

"Yes," I say, "it's a long story. I fell in love in college and we ended up pregnant the year after I got out of college which is part of the reason I got into wrestling so I could provide for my daughter. Her mom and I broke up when she was 3 years old. I don't really see her much. The stress and strain from being on the road really tore us apart. We tried to make it work a couple times but we just couldn't so we just moved on. She lives in California with her mom. I don't see her much."

"Oh," she says. "Are you going to have more kids?"

"I don't know," I say as I take a drink. "I have thought about it but I'm really involved in the business. I barely have the time to be a father to my daughter. I don't think I would be able to have another one. I don't want women to think I'm a monster because I shut the door on having kids. It's just not for me. I love my daughter but she's it. I don't really want another one."

"I don't think you're a monster," she says with a smile. "I thought you would think I was some type of monster because kids are not on my card in life."

"Not at all," I say with a smile. "So you are from Houston?"

"Born and raised," she says with a smile. "I miss it a lot."

"You think you'll ever move back there?"

"I don't know possibly. I haven't really thought about it. I don't make plans like that. The only thing I actually plan out is my career as for personal stuff I don't plan out. I just let life happen. If I find myself back in Houston then I'm back in Houston. Wherever life takes me is where I am going to go. I like Tampa so I don't know."

"That's interesting," I say.

"So are you from Tampa or somewhere else?"

"I was born and raised in Pensacola but moved here when I started work for FCW and train to be a wrestler."

"So you're a Florida boy."

"Yeah born and raised," I say with a smile. "So other than wrestling what are you into? Do you do anything other than wrestling?"

"Not really I pretty much dedicated my life to wrestling. When I do get free time I do like to read. You know that."

"Oh yeah," I say with a smile. "You read your classic literature."

"I love my classic literature. I like to read in general."

"That's always a good thing. I am not into reading. I tried though."

"And it was a nice effort," she says with a smile. "But all you have to do is be yourself. I like it better that way. What are you into other than wrestling?"

"Football is one thing and I like to watch sports," I say.

"Cool. I watch football who's your favorite team?"

"49ers," I say. "What about you?"

"Texans all the way," she says with a smile. "That's my team."

"Nice," I say, "so are you looking forward to the season starting?"

"Yeah, I just hope with the house shows and RAW I can catch some games. I like to do fantasy football."

"Oh hang out with me and a few of the other guys. When we're on the road during football season we hang out in catering watching some of the games together. A few other guys are into the fantasy football too. I'm not into it but I enjoy watching the games."

"That sounds awesome," she says with a smile. "I'd like that a lot."

"Me too," I say. I'm seeing a whole new side to Willow. I don't know if she has her guard up at work or if she just likes to give me a hard time but she is different tonight. She's easy to talk to and I'm having fun. I like this side of her and if I could have it all the time that would be great. "Why are you so rough at work but tonight you're so much different?"

"I'm not rough," she says, "I'm just me. I know I'm sorry that I came off a little rough on you. I didn't mean to be. That's just my personality. I had my guard up. I know your reputation, Roman. I didn't want to be another one of those girls. It made me nervous. I'm not your typical girl either. I don't like to get all lovey dovey and sweet. If I like someone I like to give them a hard time."

"Like making me go in circles to get a date with you?" I ask.

"Well," she says, "no not really. I just I was fighting with myself. I never got involved or dated another wrestler before. My dad doesn't want me to date a wrestler so for the last few years I have been avoiding that. If he found out you and I were on a date right now he would be upset."

"But why?"

"Because he says he knows the life and the mindset of a male wrestler. He was one well he's still one but he knows the life well. He just feels that I could do better than another wrestler. I don't agree but my dad is set on me not dating a wrestler."

"So we're probably not going anywhere past this date then?" I ask with discouragement setting in.

"Roman," she says, "I didn't say I was going to listen to him. I may have followed his rule up until now but you have some type of effect on me that made me go out with you in the first place. I'm having fun and I can't wait to go kick your butt in mini-golf but I am having fun so the possibility of another date is looking good at this point."

"Oh you think you're going to kick my butt in mini-golf?" I ask. "We'll see about that."

"You're no match for me," she says, "you'll find out," she says with a beautiful smile. I really like this side of Willow. She's fun and carefree. This is what I wanted to see even though I miss her calling me pretty boy I do enjoy this side of her. She keeps me smiling through dinner and keeps me laughing. Her personality is one of a kind that's for sure.

After we are done getting sushi I take her for a game of mini-golf. I have never had as much fun playing mini-golf with anyone as I did with her. She makes me laugh and she turns everything into a competition. I like that about her. Of course she doesn't play fair distracting me but I would have let her win anyway. Once we're done with mini-golf I take her to get some ice-cream before I take her home. I walk her up to her apartment to make sure she gets there safely but of course I am sure if any danger appeared she would be able to handle it herself. I just want to walk her to the door. We're holding hands as we walk to her apartment door, her fingers laced with mine as we step off the elevator. Her hand fits so perfectly into mine. We stop outside her door and she turns to face me "I had a really good time tonight, Roman."

"Me too," I say with a smile. "I want to do it again sometime soon."

"Okay," she says with a smile. "I'd like that a lot."

"Me too," I say with a smile as I brush a piece of hair out of her face and she smiles up at me with her blue eyes looking into mine. I feel the attraction between us, the electricity. I feel myself drawing to her, foreheads touching. "I'm going to kiss you," I whisper to her as our noses are touching. I hear her breaths deepen.

"Okay," she says in a whisper. I press my lips against hers and kiss her softly. My tongue gliding on her lips as she parts her lips allowing me access to her mouth. My tongue taking control of hers as I feel her hand cup my face as I wrap my arm around her waist pulling her closer to me as I deepen the kiss, she moans into my mouth as I kiss her deeply. The passion tearing through us like nothing I ever felt before. Her hand wraps around my neck and her soft fingers stroke the back of my neck softly. Her body against mine, softening and weakening from my touch, I reluctantly break the kiss leaving us breathless. "Whoa," she says out of breath. She looks at me with her beautiful crystal eyes before she presses her lips to mine and we're sharing another deep passionate kiss. She feels it too, the passion, the attraction and the electricity. I back her against the door and kiss her hard and fast. She moans into my mouth as I cup her face with one hand and keep my arm wrapped around her waist.

I pull away reluctantly before anything more happens and say, "I should get going."

"Okay," she says with a smile. "And to answer your question from earlier," she says, "the answer is yes we'll go further than this date. I want a lot of dates with you."

"Okay," I say with a smile feeling joy take over me. "Goodnight, Willow."

"Goodnight," she says with a smile. I let go of her and start to make my way to the elevator as she watches me. I wave to her before I step onto the elevator. She waves back and I step onto the elevator, our eyes locked on each other until the doors close. I let out deep breath I didn't know I was holding as I make my way down to the lobby. Willow is something different and she was well worth the challenge. I am glad I got her out on a date and I look forward to many more with her.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Roman's and Willow's date? Did you see a different side to Willow? Why do you think she is so rough at work and not so much when she's out with Roman? What did you think of her saying she was going to go against her dad's rules? Why do you think her dad is so against her dating a wrestler? What did you think of Willow's and Roman's kiss? Do you think this is just the beginning of something new? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	5. Chapter 5

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. THey were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much!**

It's been a couple weeks since Roman and I had our first date. He's not a bad guy. He's actually pretty sweet and I love spending time with him. We aren't official yet but I hope to be very soon. We have been on a few dates since our first one, we hit the gym together every morning, we arrive at shows together and we leave together. We always go to grab something to eat after RAW or Smackdown or we head out to hang out at the bar together. No matter what we're doing I like spending time with him. I will admit I was wrong about him. I just heard so much about him and just judged him by what I had heard but not by getting to know him. I have gotten to know a little more about him the last couple weeks and they don't get any sweeter than him. I really like my little Pretty Boy.

I had to leave right after the Smackdown tapings last night and leave Joe behind so that I could take a red eye flight to Houston to see my dad and my little sisters. WWE has a pay-per-view in Houston this coming Sunday where I face Nikki Bella for the Divas Championship which works out well so my dad and my family can be there to watch me. I just hope I win the title. I wanted to spend a few days in Houston with my dad and family before the pay-per-view this weekend. I haven't seen my dad or family since Christmas because I've been so busy with my training. I have really missed them. My dad sent his private plane to pick me up from New York and it flew me all the way to Houston. I got a good night's sleep and was served like a queen the whole way. I grab my luggage as I make my way off the plane and see my dad's truck parked as he stands next to it. I smile as I see him. I run over to him and wrap my arms around him. "Daddy!" I say as I hug him tight as he hugs me back.

"Hey, Scout," he says in his deep southern drawl. "How are you?"

"Good," I say with a smile. "Thanks for lending me your private plane for the trip."

"No problem," he says making me smile. "So how was the flight?"

"I slept most of the way here," I say. "I drank a couple glasses of wine and then went to sleep. I didn't wake up till a half hour before we landed so I could get myself ready and look presentable."

"You look beautiful," he says taking my luggage. "I can't wait to hear all about your time with WWE."

"I can't wait to tell you all about it," I say as he puts my luggage into the truck as I climb into the passenger's side. It feels so good to be back home in Texas. I love Houston. I probably wouldn't move back here but I do love coming to visit my dad on his ranch. He climbs in to the driver's seat and starts the car. He puts on country music and we begin our drive back to his private ranch in Houston. "How is everyone doing?" I ask as we drive home.

"Good," he says, "your sisters can't wait to see you and Michelle is looking forward to your visit."

"How are things going with you two?" I ask.

"Pretty good," he says with a smile as he looks at me. "What about you? Do you have a boyfriend or anything?"

"I don't have a boyfriend," I say, "but I am seeing someone."

"Oh really?" he asks. "How is that going?"

"It's just something new. We just started dating."

"I'm glad to hear it. Who is the lucky boy?" he asks.

"Just some guy that I met in Tampa," I say. "He's a really good guy you'd like him."

"Well, if things go well with him I would hope I get to meet this boy."

"You will someday," I say but I don't know how he would take it if I brought Roman home to him. He's not exactly keen on the idea of me dating another wrestler. It's not his choice though it's mine and I like Roman. Once he gets to know him maybe he will be a little more accepting of the idea but I'll withhold that information from him.

"I hope so," he says, "you deserve the best, Willow."

"Thanks, Daddy," I say with a smile. "Have you heard from Gun at all?"

"Yeah, he's doing well. I take it you haven't spoken to him."

"I barely get time to eat," I say, "especially now life is too crazy you know with wrestling and now dating. I barely get the time to talk to him. How is he liking Tennessee?"

"He likes it a lot," he says pulling into the gated area of his home in Texas. He waves at the security guard as he passes him as he drives up the long driveway.

"That's good," I say, "how's his music career going?"

"It's going pretty well. I'm proud of him. He loves his music."

"Yeah he does," I say, "he always wanted to do something with music growing up. I'm glad that he's finally doing it. Has he signed anyone to his label yet?"

"Not yet. He's still scouting out some country singers in Nashville," he says.

"Is he staying in Tennessee or is he going to travel elsewhere to find some talent?"

"I think once he gets settled in Nashville he's going to do some traveling to find some talent but right now he's sticking to Nashville."

"Awesome, I'm proud of him," I say. My twin brother Gunner is a music producer and he has his own record label and studio in Nashville, Tennessee. He chose to go a different route in his life rather than following in the footsteps of our father. He wanted to do something different. I can't blame him. He wants to make a name for himself outside of the wrestling business but I on the other hand want to carry on our father's legacy in the company. I want to have a career just like my dad. I want to make him proud and carry on the Calaway name in the business.

"Me too," he says as he pulls into the garage of his Houston ranch. He parks the car before we both climb out. I get my luggage out of the truck and we make our way into the house. "We're Home!" he hollers in the kitchen as I smell the goodness of a home cooked breakfast as my dad's dog comes running up to me.

"Hey, Hercules," I say with a smile as I pet him. "How are you?" I ask as I continue to pet him as he licks my face.

"WILLOW!" yells my little sister Chasey as she comes to give me a hug.

"Hey, Chase," I say with a smile as I hug her back. "How are you doing?"

"Good," she says, "I saw you on RAW. You're awesome."

"Thanks," I say with a smile as my little sister Gracie comes to give me a hug. "Hey, Gracie," I say hugging her back. "How are you?"

"Good," she says with a smile. "Are you going to be here a long time?"

"Just a few days," I say with a smile. "Did y'all miss me?"

"Yeah," says Chasey. "You should come home to live with us again."

"I wish I could but I have a life in Tampa," I say with a smile. "I want to stay in Tampa."

"She has a boyfriend," says my dad.

"He's not my boyfriend yet but we are seeing each other," I say.

"He'd be crazy if he didn't make you his girlfriend," he says, "you're beautiful and you're smart. You could probably kick his ass though."

"I don't know about all that," I say with a smile as I walk over to his wife Michelle. "Hey, Michelle," I say giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Good morning, Willow, I hope you're hungry. I'm making your favorite; scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and biscuits."

"Sounds good," I say with a smile, "I don't usually eat this stuff anymore but it sounds so good."

"You can cheat on your diet for today," says my dad. "You'll be fine."

"All right," I say with a smile. "I'm going to go put my stuff in my bedroom. I'll be back down in a minute."

"Can we come with you?" asks my sister Chasey.

"Sure," I say with a smile as I make my way upstairs to the room I lived in before I went to college. It hasn't changed since I left it. We walk into my bedroom and I put my luggage in the closet before we sit down on the bed.

"So you have a boyfriend?" asks Chasey with a smile. "What's he like?"

"He's not my boyfriend and he's a really sweet guy. He's very nice and he is really cute."

"Cool," says Chasey.

"What's his name?" asks Gracie.

"Joe," I say not saying his ring name because they're both smart girls and they would figure it out the moment I told them. I don't think they would tell my dad but at the same time I'm not risking it. "So how is softball going, Gracie?"

"Good," she says, "we're in the championships. We're going to win. We're undefeated."

"That's awesome," I say with a smile, "and how is gymnastics going for you, Chasey? Going to the Olympics any time soon?"

"I wish," she says with a smile. "Someday."

"You can do anything you put your mind to," I say with a smile. "You can do anything that you want to do."

"I want to be a wrestler," says Gracie. "Like you and Daddy."

"And it takes a lot of training and dedication," I say, "but make sure you go to college first just so that you have something to fall back on in case something would happen and it's all over with tomorrow."

"I know," says Gracie. "Is it a lot of work?"

"It takes a lot of work and a lot of dedication. If you don't feel it in your heart you're not going to be able to give it your all. You have to have the passion for it. I love it."

"I know," she says, "are you going to be the Divas champion?"

"I hope so but it all depends on what my boss wants. I won't know till Sunday."

"We'll be cheering you on. We even have your Storm t-shirts," says Gracie as I hear little feet run into the room. "Kaia, look who's home," she says.

"Willow," says my little sister Kaia as she tries to climb up on the bed. I pick her up and hold her on my lap.

"Hi, Kaia," I say giving her a kiss on the cheek. "How are you?"

"Good," she says with a smile. "You home now?"

"For a few days," I say with a smile as I hear my dad call us downstairs to have breakfast.

We make our way downstairs as I carry Kaia in my arms. "I think this belongs to you," I say as I hand her to my dad.

"Hey, Kai," he says with a smile before he puts her in her booster seat as we gather around the table for some breakfast. My mouth waters as I look at the plate of food in front of me. I haven't eaten a home cooked meal like this in months. I pretty much just eat a bowl of cereal and eat yogurt for breakfast back in Tampa. Cooking is not my strong point but I'm working on it. Breakfast goes pretty well and it is delicious.

After we have breakfast my sisters Chasey, Gracie and I go four-wheeling on my dad's property. It's been a while since I got to enjoy going four-wheeling and I am hoping that one day I can bring Roman to my dad's house and he go four-wheeling with us. He would love it. I would love it, I would love anything that would get me to spend more time with him. Once we are done four-wheeling we hang out by the pool for the afternoon. "So how are you liking your trip so far, Scout?" asks my dad as we are laying by the pool.

"I'm having fun," I say with a smile as I tan in the sun. "I have missed being here."

"I have missed you being here. Now that you're out of developmental what do you think about moving back to Texas?"

"I would like to move back to Texas but like I said earlier I do have a life back in Florida that I'm trying to live. My guy lives in Tampa. I don't want to leave him there and come here."

"Is it serious between you two?" he asks.

"I wouldn't say serious. Like I said we're just seeing each other and we hang out a lot but I wouldn't say we're serious."

"So you're not living with him like you did with that Andy guy?" he asks.

"No, Dad, I'm not living with him. We just started dating a couple weeks ago. It's a little too soon for that don't you think?"

"Any time before marriage is too soon," he says.

"Dad, really? Didn't you live with Michelle before you two were married? And you lived with Mom too and I'm pretty sure you were living with Sara as well before you were married."

"Don't' do what I do, Willow," he says, "you're my little girl. I hate the thought of you living with a man that you're not married to. Things with Andy didn't work out too well did they?"

"Andy and I wanted different things. That's why we're not together anymore. It's not that it ended badly. We mutually agreed that things would be over between us because he wanted one thing and I wanted another thing. We're still really good friends though."

"I know but you know what I mean, Willow. You're 24 years old you have plenty of time for all this living together and all this dating stuff. Focus on your wrestling career for now and then focus on your love life."

"I can do both," I say. "It's not messing up my wrestling career."

"Well, you have a lot of opportunity in front of you," he says. "I mean you're having your first pay-per-view match for the Divas championship that's pretty big. You came in from developmental and you're at the top of the divas division already. That's impressive."

"I know, Daddy," I say. "I'm excited. I hope I take the championship from Nikki it would be a dream come true but I'll be okay if I don't win it."

"I know," he says, "but know I will be cheering you on backstage. I am so proud of you and all the hard work that you've accomplished to get here. I am one proud father right now."

"I'm glad," I say with a smile.

"So tell me about this guy you're seeing? What does he do? How did you meet him?"

"Um, I met him at the gym," I say, "I was working out and I met him at the gym. He is in the sports business," I say.

"Oh a sports man," he says, "that's pretty cool. Does he treat you well?"

"I didn't exactly treat him well at first. I made him jump through hoops to get a date with me but yes he does treat me well. He treats me very well. I like him a lot, Daddy. I see a lot of potential between us."

"That's good," he says, "you deserve to be treated well. I hope this works out."

"Thanks," I say. "What do you have against me dating wrestlers?" I ask.

"Is he a wrestler?" he asks.

"No," I lie. "I just want to know why it' so forbidden in your eyes?"

"It's not that I have anything against wrestlers," he says, "I am sure a few of them are good guys but you never know for sure. I lived the life of a wrestler. I know what they are like. They hook up with ring rats on the lonely nights and they cheat on their wives and girlfriends. Most of those guys are married to the business. I just think you deserve someone better than a wrestler. You're my baby girl. I don't want to see you get hurt by some guy in the business."

"But you just said that some of them could be good guys," I say, "what if it was a good guy?"

"I don't know," he says, "I still don't like the idea of my daughter dating a wrestler."

"But you know I'm 24 so I can make my own decisions right?"

"I would hope that you would respect my wishes and not get involved with a wrestler. It could be even messier for you. You have gone all this time denying that I was your father so that you wouldn't be accused of getting your spot in this business because you're my daughter but if you would end up with a wrestler they would say you are where you are because you're dating a wrestler. I don't want you to be discredited for your hard work. Say you would get involved with a wrestler," he says, "and you two broke up that wouldn't work out well for you all backstage. If it's a messy break up it could get messy backstage. It would distract you for what you're there for. You're not there to pick up guys, Willow. I have nothing against those guys in the company but I do have something against them if they are coming after my daughter. I don't want to see you with a wrestler. You can date anyone but a wrestler."

"I guess part of that makes sense but you know being in this business it happens. You married Michelle and she was a diva."

"That's different," he says,

"It's really not that different," I say. "She was a diva and you were a wrestler. You didn't ruin her career at all and she didn't ruin yours so would it really be the end of the world if I dated someone in the business."

"Michelle did get heat for dating me. They started to discredit her accomplishments because she was with The Undertaker. I don't want to see that happen to you."

"But you wouldn't want to see me happy?" I ask.

"Of course I want to see you happy but I don't' want to see you discredited because of who you choose to date and who you choose to lay with. I don't want to see that happen to you. You've worked too hard and come too far to be discredited for your hard work. That's all I am saying. I want to see you happy but I don't want your credit taken away because of some man."

"I guess," I say as I let out a deep breath. Telling him about Roman is going to be a lot harder than I anticipated. He is dead set against me dating a wrestler. He isn't going to like it when he finds out that Roman is the guy I am seeing.

"Are you interested in a wrestler?" he asks.

"Does it matter? You don't want me to date him anyway so what would it matter if I was?"

"Willow, don't be that way. I am just looking out for my baby girl, that's all." He says as my cellphone rings. I smile as I pick it up to see that it's Roman calling.

"Dad, I have to take this," I say as I answer the phone and stand up to talk to him away from my dad. "Hey, Pretty Boy," I say with a smile.

"Hey, Beautiful," he says and I can hear the smile in his voice. "How's Houston?"

"It's fun," I say, "I'm really enjoying my time with my dad and my little sisters. We went four-wheeling," I say.

"That's cool," he says. "I've never been four-wheeling."

"You'll have to go some time. I talked to my dad."

"About us?" he asks.

"There's an us?' I ask with a hopeful smile.

"I would like for there to be an us," he says. "I mean I really like you, Willow. I love hanging out with you and spending time with you. The last couple weeks have been great. I have never wanted anything more than us," he says making me smile.

"Are you trying to ask me something, Pretty Boy?"

"I guess," he says, "I miss you. I can't wait to see you on Saturday."

"So ask me, you know I don't like this whole guessing game."

"Would you like to be my girlfriend?" he asks.

"Yes, Roman, I would like that very much," I say with a smile.

"Good," he says with a smile in his voice. "Does your dad know about us?"

"No because he's so against me dating a wrestler. Let's just keep this on the down low for now," I say. "I don't want it getting out."

"No problem," he says. "Although, I'm sure there's going to be some speculation on us."

"Me too," I say with a smile, "but no one really has to know but us."

"Okay," he says, "so on Saturday night can I take you out on a date?"

"Of course," I say with a smile. "I would like that."

"All right," he says. "Well, I don't' want to tie you up too long. I'll see you on Saturday night. If you want to meet me at the hotel you can and we can go out from there."

"Sounds like a plan. Text me the hotel you're staying in and I'll be there. What time?"

"6?" he asks.

"Works for me," I say with a smile. "I'll see you on Saturday."

"See you on Saturday, Willow. Have a good time with your dad and your sisters. Bye."

"Bye, Pretty boy," I say with a smile. I hear him chuckle softly into the phone. He likes when I call him that. At first it was because I was making fun of him but now it's just a term of endearment for him.

"Bye, Beautiful," he says making me smile. I hang up the phone and make my way back over to the pool.

"Was that the man?" he asks.

"Yeah," I say. "Can I borrow the truck on Saturday?"

"For what?" he asks.

"I just have some plans with some of my friends on Saturday night."

"Sure that's fine," he says giving me a look with his green eyes. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine why?"

"Because your face is flushed and you look extremely happy, a lot happier than you did when you walked away to take your phone call."

"Well, I have a boyfriend now," I say with a smile. "I mean that's it."

"I want some details, Willow," he says as I lay my phone down.

"He's just a guy," I say, "it's really hot, I think I'm going to get into the pool now," I say with a smile before I make my way over to the pool and jump in with my little sisters to play with them. I just want to avoid any questions about Roman from my dad. I'm not ready to tell him about us. I don't know if I ever will be ready.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Willow's visit with her dad? Do they seem to be close? What do you think of her relationship with her sisters? What do you think of her dad's reason for him not wanting her to date a wrestler? Do you think it could discredit her hard work? do you think she will win the championship on Sunday at the pay-per-view? What did you think of Roman making it official and asking her to be his girlfriend? Are you glad that she said yes? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	6. Chapter 6

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much!***

Roman pulls his rental car into the parking lot of a game center for our date and I smile instantly. "A game center?" I ask as he parks the car.

"Yeah," he says with a smile as he holds my hand. "You may like a good romance novel, love the flowers, the cards and the candy but you are definitely an adventurous type of girl. You don't want the typical dinner and a movie date. You want go-karts, mini-golf, ski-ball and the bungee jump. You like the sporty type of date and dates that are fun for you. I aim to please," he says making me smile.

"And this is why you're the best boyfriend," I say with a smile as we get out of the car.

He takes my hand into his again, intertwining our fingers together as we walk to the game center entrance. I am impressed that in such a short time he knows so much about me. He knows I'm not into the typical dinner and a movie date. I prefer things like this and eating nachos afterward. "Come here," he says stopping me as he stands in front of me. He wraps his arm around my waist pulling me closer to him as he leans down and kisses my lips softly as I hold onto his baby blue polo at his waist. He looks so good in his polo as it brings out the blue in his eyes and he has on a pair of khaki shorts and a pair of Nikes with baby blue in them to match his shirt. His hair is in a neat bun and he smells of Axe body spray. His hand rests on my hip as he continues to kiss me deeply. "My girl is looking good," he says with a smile as he breaks the kiss taking my hand once again before opening the door to the game center for me. I don't think I look that spectacular. I'm just dressed in a red t-shirt and a pair of white shorts with my hair braided off to the side much like Elsa's in Frozen and a pair of cowgirl boots. You can take the girl out of Houston but you can't take the Houston out of the girl. They are my favorite pair of footwear even in 100 degree Houston weather in the summer. It's a way of life.

"Thanks, Baby," I say with a smile as we walk into the game center.

"You're welcome," he says placing his hand on the small of my back sending a shock of electricity through me. There's just something about his touch that does that to me. He kisses my cheek softly as we make our way over to the cashier so he can pay for everything we're doing. He chooses the Go-karts and mini-golf which I am thrilled with. He pays the man the money before we make our way out to the Go-Kart track. I can't wait to whoop him on the track. He has no idea what he's getting himself into with me. I love Go-karts.

He kisses my lips softly before we get into our go-karts. We take 3 laps around the track and at first he starts out in the lead but I catch up to him and end up passing him by. Laughing as I do and by the end of the third lap I end up winning. Once we are done with the go-karts we go to play a game of ski-ball inside the game center. Roman is much better at it than I am as he ends up winning but who wouldn't be distracted when they have this hot Samoan God standing next to them as they try to get a ball into the hole. It causes for a lot of no pointers just knowing he's watching me with those beautiful blue/grey eyes and amazing body. It's a distraction so as far as I am concerned he has the advantage. He can distract me anytime though. After we play ski-ball we play some mini-golf. It's so cute watching Roman play, he's so serious about it but at least we're having fun. That's all I want. I love hanging out with Roman. We finish the date off by sitting outside as the night sky appears after a beautiful sunset eating nachos and cheese together. "So are you ready for tomorrow night?" he asks me as I eat a nacho.

"As ready as I am ever going to be. I'm ready to dethrone Nikki Bella but I understand if I don't win the championship. My time will come but it would be great. I don't want to see her be the longest reigning diva's champion in history. I'm just ready for the change you know?"

"I think everyone is ready for the change," he says eating his own nacho. "I like what's happening with you and Nikki. It's pretty exciting. I haven't enjoyed a divas feud this much since the Trish and Lita days."

"You're just saying that because I'm your girlfriend," I say with a smile.

"I'm saying it because it's true. And you have picked up a really big fan base. People love you."

"I know. I'm even surprised. In NXT I had a fan base but now it's even bigger. I don't do anything but go out there and put on a show."

"But you're good at it. I can see your dad's influence in your move set. You do a lot of things that he does but other divas don't do. It's one of a kind. Did you ever think about doing a gimmick where you're like the dead girl like your dad is the dead man?"

"Not really," I say, "I mean that's his thing and he's good at it but I don't think I can roll my eyes like him and I can't put the same fear into anyone. I don't think I could give anyone goosebumps like he does. I mean if they approached me about it I wouldn't mind giving it a try but I am just fine with being Storm right now."

"I see," he says, "so how has your trip to Houston been? Are you enjoying your time with your dad?"

"Yes," I say, "I feel like it's been a while since I last saw him. It's been a great few days. I like spending time with my dad."

"Are you two close?"

"Very close," I say, "he's my best friend. I love him so much."

"That's sweet," he says with a smile, "what about your mom? Are you close with her?"

"Not really. My mom and I don't really see eye to eye on things. She didn't want to see me get into the wrestling business. She feels I could have done something else like teaching but wrestling is in my blood. I grew up watching wrestling and watching my dad do it. I wanted to do it too. It's in my blood. She didn't want that for me."

"I see," he says.

"Yeah and she lives in Tennessee with my twin brother. She moved there when we were 8 years old after my parents separated and got a divorce. I chose to stay with my dad while she and my brother moved to Tennessee. I love my mom but we're just not close you know? Are you close to your parents?"

"All of my family is close," he says, "but I am really close to Pops; my dad," he says. "I have a lot of respect for him and what he did for our family. I was born toward the end of his career so I wasn't really affected by him traveling as much as my brother and sisters were. My dad and I are pretty close. I am close to my mom too."

"Are you a mama's boy?" I ask.

"I guess," he says with a smile.

"That's cute," I say with a smile. "My mama and I just don't have a lot in common. She wanted a little princess I am anything but."

"Yeah I noticed," he says with a smile. "So you have a twin brother?"

"Yeah I have a twin brother and I have three little sisters as well," I say.

"Are you and your brother close?"

"Not as close as most twins but we didn't really grow up with each other. We saw each other on holidays and summer vacation but we aren't that close. I'm much closer to my little sisters. What about you? How many brothers and sisters do you have?"

"I have one older brother and three older sisters. I'm the baby of the family," he says. "My sister Summer and I are pretty close because we are closest in age. We hung out a lot when we were little."

"That's cool," I say with a smile. "Your brother wrestled too right?"

"Yes he was part of Three Minute Warning and he was Rosey."

"That's what I thought," I say, "so your family is pretty much the business huh?"

"My family has many generations in WWE. It all started with High Chief Peter Maivia and the dynasty was built and it continues on. It's something to be proud of."

"Yes it is," I say as I eat some more nachos. "I want that legacy with my father. I want to carry on his legacy long after he's gone but since I don't want kids I think it ends with me."

"Unless you have children someday, you're still young yet. There's no need to rush or worry about all that right now. Focus on your career. You have a lot going for you," he says.

"It's crazy because I can tell you where I want to be in 5 years career wise but if you ask me where I want to be personal wise in 5 years I can't tell you. I just let life happen pretty much. I never really make plans. You know what they say, life is what happens when you're busy making plans. I don't want life to pass me by because I'm so busy planning out my future. That's the problem with so many people these days. They're too busy planning out their future that they aren't getting a chance to enjoy the present and enjoy life that's happening because they're too worried about tomorrow. You know you have today, you never know if you have tomorrow. I like to live it up and live every day like it's my last. I'm going to take risks and I'm going to have fun. Life will happen like it should no need to plan things out. You know what I mean?"

"I like your philosophy," he says with a smile, "but unfortunately since I have a little girl I have to make plans for her."

"I understand that. Are you two close to each other?"

"Not as close as I would like to be. I see her a few times a year, I face time her and skype her but that's the extent of it. I get her a couple weeks in the summertime but we're not really that close. I love her a lot."

"I'm sure you do," I say. "You were young when you had her huh?"

"I was pretty young it was hard but I love being a father. I don't want any more kids but I love her to death. She is the best thing to ever happen to me."

"I bet," I say with a smile. "What happened with you and her mom if you don't mind me asking?"

"It's complicated," he says, "things were just tough for us. We tried to fix things but nothing really fixed anything. It just made our problems worse. It was either stay together and be miserable or separate and live our lives. We separated and a year later she moved to California with our daughter."

"Does that bother you?"

"Not really because I'm on the road so much I hardly get time to be home anyway but sometimes I wish they were still in Tampa. She has family in California so that's why she moved there."

"Oh," I say. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he says. "So what happened with you and the bartender?"

I let out a small chuckle and say, "he didn't support my wrestling dream. We wanted different things in life. He wanted marriage and kids, I wanted to be a wrestler. I didn't want marriage or kids. I told him that from the start but he thought that once I was older I would change my mind but I didn't so we went our separate ways. I hope he finds a girl that wants all that but as for me I'm not that girl."

"You don't want marriage either?"

"My dad is on his 3rd marriage," I say, "marriage doesn't seem like a strong point for the Calaways," I say. "Then again I'm only 24 so I don't know about all that yet. I'm just trying to make a name for myself in the business."

"I understand," he says with a smile. "Is your dad going to be at the show tomorrow night?"

"My entire family is going to be there," I say with a proud smile. "My sisters are ready to cheer me on. I just want to make my daddy proud you know?"

"I know the feeling," he says with a smile as we finish eating our nachos and continue talking as the moon and stars take their place in the night sky. "It's getting late," he says.

"I'm 24," I say with a smile. "I have some time to hang out."

"Yeah but you and I have a pay-per-view tomorrow which means an early morning at the gym and an all day stay at the arena."

"I guess you're right," I say as I stand up with him. He takes our trash and throws it away before taking my hand as we walk to his rental car. He opens the door for me and helps me into his car before he makes his way to the driver's side. He takes my hand into his and kisses it softly as he starts the car. Our fingers intertwine as we drive back to his hotel so I can get my dad's truck and head back to his house. Roman pulls up in front of his hotel and stops the car so the valet can park his car for him and pull mine around. "I had a really good time tonight," I say with a smile as he holds me in his arms as they are wrapped around my waist as I play with the collar of his polo. "I love spending time with you."

"I love spending time with you too," he says with a smile making me smile. I straighten out his collar before I wrap my arms around his neck, looking into his grey eyes I reach up and press my lips against his full soft lips and kiss him softly. He pulls me closer to his hard body as he deepens our kiss. The passion building between us as his hands slide down my waist and he cups my ass softly making me smile against his lips before I kiss him deeply again, he squeezes my ass gently as the passion between us grows deeper and stronger. I find myself wanting and needing more of him. The valet pulls my dad's truck up and he clears his throat causing us to break our kiss leaving us breathless. "I want to invite you to stay so bad," he says. "I want to spend the night with you."

"So invite me to stay," I say with a smile.

"I would but I'm sharing the room with Dean and he probably has some random chick up there. I don't want to subject you to that plus if I spend the night with you I want to spend the night with you alone."

"Okay," I say with disappointment. "I understand."

"Don't be upset," he says as he traces my lip with his thumb. "All right?" he asks me softly in his deep voice.

"All right," I say with a soft smile.

"I promise soon we'll spend a lot of nights together," he says with promise in his voice as he strokes my cheek with his thumb.

"Okay," I say, "well goodnight. I'll see you at the gym in the morning."

"I'll see you at the gym," he says with a soft smile before he kisses my lips once more. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," I say as we let each other go. I make my way to the truck and wave to him as he watches me as I climb into the driver's seat. I shut the door and wave once more before I pull away. I have never been this easy to spend the night with a guy but there's just something about Roman that makes me want to spend the night with him, have sex with him, cuddle up next to each other all night but it's so frustrating when I can't do it. It is a little soon but it's what I want so much right now. I want him and need him so much right now. I never felt this way about anyone before.

 **THE NEXT NIGHT:**

I have been in a zone all day. I've been trying to keep my focus on my first pay-per-view match. Hunter and Vince called Nikki and I into his office a couple hours ago to go over how the match ends and who is walking away the champion. I'm ready for the match. I stand backstage staying in my zone. Focusing on fighting Nikki and focusing on putting on one of the best diva matches in history, I have seen a lot of diva matches in the past and I'm a big fan of the Trish and Lita era. They had some of the best divas matches I have ever seen if I can pull off half of what they did I would be happy. "You ready for this?" asks Roman as he comes up to me as I stand behind the curtain.

"As ready as I'm ever going to be," I say letting out a deep breath.

"You've got this," he says. "This is what you've been training for the last few years. This is where you belong. You got this."

"Thanks, Pretty Boy," I say with a smile as he stands in his own ring gear before he has to head to the place he makes his entrance. His match follows mine so he may not get to see my match.

"I love when you call me Pretty Boy," he says with a smile. "It makes me feel good."

"Well, you are my pretty boy," I say with a smile. "MY pretty boy."

"I'm all yours," he says with a smile. "Where's your dad?"

"He's coming. He wanted to make sure Michelle and my sisters got to their seats all right."

"So I have time to give you a good luck kiss?" he asks with a smile.

"You have a couple minutes," I say looking up at him with a smile on my face.

"Okay," he says with a smile before he leans down and kisses my lips softly "Good luck tonight, Babe. This is what you've dreamed of. I'll be cheering you on."

"Thanks," I say with a smile before I kiss his lips softly. "Good luck in your match."

"Thanks," he says with a smile. "Well, I better go. I'll be watching."

"Okay," I say with a smile as I watch him walk away. Seeing him walk away is such sweet sorrow. I hate separating from him but I have to get back in the game. I get my focus back as the match before mine ends. This is it now or never.

I take my spot at the curtain as I hear a rowdy crowd. I don't know what Kevin Owens and John Cena did but they obviously tore down the house. I take a deep breath as I wait for my music to cue. This is my big pay-per-view debut. This is my moment. My music hits and I make my way through the curtain in front of a loud crowd and smile. I chasse to the ring with a smile on my face before I climb up onto the apron and pose for the fans as Lilian announces me. I stand in the ring and wave to my little sisters as Nikki's music hits. I watch her strut down to the ring holding the prized possession and watch her make her way to the ring. I roll my eyes as she climbs up onto the apron and climbs into the ring. She holds the championship up in the air as she struts around the ring before she hands it to the ref. He holds it up in the air before he hands it to the time keeper. The bell rings and Nikki and I lock up. This is it. This is the moment I have been waiting for my entire life. The match goes back and forth. Nikki has the upper hand most of the time before I take the upper hand. I can't help feel pride inside as the fans start chanting how awesome our match is and hearing the fans changing "Let's Go Storm". It's music to my ears. It's something that I have always dreamed of. I hit maneuvers on Nikki similar to my dad's play book. My in-ring skills mirror his but I switch it up between stuff I have learned from him and stuff I have learned from Trish Stratus. As the match draws to a finish Nikki goes to hit her finisher on me before I counter out of it. She stands in shock as I kick her in the stomach before I hit her with a Tombstone shocking the entire crowd. I cover her; 1-2-3! Tears fill my eyes as I stand up in the middle of the ring and the crowd cheers me on. The ref holds my hand up in the air in victory before handing me the Divas Championship. Everything I have gone through to get here was worth it for this moment. I look at my sisters as they are cheering me on and point to them. I blow a kiss to them before I drop to my knees and cry as I admire the belt. Years of hard work for this moment means everything to me. I roll out of the ring and celebrate with my sisters as they hug me and kiss me. I stop at Michelle and she congratulates me and hugs me before I make my way to the back.

"Daddy," I say with tears in my eyes as I walk into his big arms. He wraps his arms around me and hugs me tightly. I can feel his tears on my shoulders as he holds me. "I did it."

"I'm so proud of you, Willow," he says through his happy cries. "You put on one hell of a match out there. I'm proud of you, Scout," he says as he hugs me making me cry. My dad telling me he's proud of me means more to me than anything. I hear Roman's music hit as I'm celebrating with my dad admiring my belt. "You deserve this," he says pointing to it. "You have worked so hard. I am so proud of you."

"Thanks, Daddy," I say with a smile. "I love you."

"I love you too," he says with a smile. It's all surreal to me. I have dreamed of this moment but to feel it and to live it is indescribable after I am done celebrating with my dad I make my way to my locker room to shower.

After my shower I get myself dressed in one of Roman's t-shirts and a pair of shorts. I tie his shirt up so a little bit of my stomach is showing before I brush my hair up into a messy bun. I pack up my things and make my way out of the locker room on a quest to find my man. I'm planning on leaving with him after the show tonight to head to Dallas, Texas for RAW. I already said my goodbyes to my family earlier telling them I was leaving with friends right after the show. I make my way down the hall of the arena till I meet Roman in the hallway. He opens his arms for me and I walk into them as he embraces me. "I'm so proud of you, Baby Girl," he says making me smile.

"Thanks," I say with a smile.

"Looks good on your shoulder," he says with a smile as I hold the belt on my shoulder. "My girl is the new Divas champion. I am so proud of you." He makes me smile, "and look at your support for me wearing your Roman Reigns shirt."

"Says the man in a Storm t-shirt," I say with a smile as we start walking together.

"I'm a pretty big fan of hers," he says taking my bag from me as he pulls it behind him as he carries his own bag. "I hope you don't mind Dean traveling with us."

"That's cool," I say with a smile. "I think Storm might be the biggest Roman Reigns fan by the way."

"Glad to hear it," he says with a smile. "Was your dad proud?"

"More than he has ever been," I say with a smile as we make our way to the parking lot. Roman loads up the car as we wait for Dean to join us. "I just wanted to make him proud and I did."

"You're amazing, Willow," he says making me smile as we lean up the car. "You put on a great match. How does it feel?"

"Pretty damn good," I say with a smile.

"Good," he says with a smile before he kisses my lips softly.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Willow's and Roman's date? Do things seem to be going well for them? What did you think of Willow being so willing to stay with Roman that night if he had asked her to stay? Has she fallen victim to the Reigns effect? What did you think of Willow winning the Divas championship? What about her not wanting marriage? does that surprise you? What did you think of her moment with her dad after the match? What about Roman do you think he's proud of his girl? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	7. Chapter 7

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. they were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much.**

 **TWO WEEKS LATER:**

"Wow, I didn't even recognize you without you're sidekick by your side," says Dean as I walk into catering at a house show over the weekend.

"Shut up," I say with a smile as I take a seat next to him with my food.

"Where is your girlfriend?" he asks.

"She has the weekend off. Her family went to Clearwater for the week and she wanted to go spend time with them so she took the weekend off."

"So you two do leave each other's sides?"

"Yes," I say as I cut up my chicken. "We do leave each other's sides. I enjoy spending time with her and I enjoy spending time with my friends."

"So why don't you hang out with us anymore? You're always hanging out with Willow. You don't even hit the gym with us in the morning before a show."

"Have you ever seen my girlfriend in her workout clothes? I'm sorry I would much rather look at that than look at you. My girl is hot."

"I guess she is but still how much working out could you get done with her if you're too busy checking her out."

"Despite what you think Willow is a great workout partner. She takes the gym very seriously. We work out hard but the view is just an extra bonus. Did you know she's Undertaker's daughter?" I ask.

"Oh shit and you're still alive?"

"He doesn't know."

"He doesn't know that you and his daughter are dating?"

"No one does except for you and Zahra. I don't even think Seth knows that much. Willow wants to keep it on the down low for now. She doesn't want it to get out. And I believe you still owe me $100."

"You do know that you're Roman Reigns right?"

"I know who I am," I say. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I don't know because everyone in the WWE universe is obsessed with your personal life so whether you two want people to know about you two or not they're going to find out. Everyone is the paparazzi these days because everyone has their cellphones and their cameras with them at all times. If it's secret now it won't be secret for long."

"I know but we're doing our best to keep it as private as possible. I don't know how Willow feels about the publicity of things though. I didn't even know she was Taker's daughter until she told me and my family has been in this business for years. I knew Taker had kids but I never saw what they look like."

"Because Taker is one of the most private people in the WWE. He doesn't believe in sharing his personal life with the world. I'm sure he wants his kids to grow up with normal lives you know what I mean. You had a dad that was in the business what was it like for you growing up?"

"I don't know," I say, "I don't really remember people really caring that I was Sika's son or even caring about my family at all."

"But times have changed," says Dean. "Everyone is the paparazzi now. Good luck keeping it a secret. Why doesn't she want people to know about it anyway especially her dad?"

"I don't know. She never really told me. I think it has something to do with the fact her dad doesn't want her involved with a wrestler. I'm not really sure."

"He's a wrestler," he says.

"I know but I guess he doesn't want his daughter with a wrestler. I don't really know. She's not really open to me about it."

"Oh," he says, "so everything is good with you two?"

"Yeah," I say with a smile as I think about Willow. "I love spending time with her and being with her. She makes me happy."

"Well, I'm glad she finally gave you a chance because you were going crazy trying to get a date with her. I thought you lost your mind when you started reading Emily Bronte how did that work out for you?"

"She was impressed that I was reading it and that I was leaving her love quotes but she's not dumb. She knows that reading classic novels is not me. She told me she just wanted me to be myself. I asked her out on a date and she said yes."

"What took her so long?"

"I don't know she wanted to give me a hard time."

"No woman is worth all that. She better be golden or something because you went through too much trouble to get with her."

"She's amazing," I say with a smile before I take a bite of my chicken. "And you still owe me $100."

"You're not going to forget about that are you? I thought it wasn't about the money or the bet anymore?"

"A bet is a bet," I say.

"Oh now a bet is a bet when you weren't standing a chance with her and making yourself look like a fool you weren't worried about the money then now that you got your date you want the money?"

"You made the bet," I say. "Pay up."

"Fine," he says getting into his pocket and pulling out his wallet. He pulls out a hundred dollar bill and hands it to me. "Take your $100."

"Thanks," I say with a smile as I put it into my wallet.

"So did you sleep with her yet?" he asks.

"No, not yet, I'm sure when we were in Houston we would have but I wasn't sleeping with her while you were in the room. I want our first time together to be special. I don't want anyone else in the room. I want it to be romantic. I'm sure Willow does too. She reads romance books. I'm sure she wants it to be romantic too. I don't just want to take her back to my hotel room after a fun date and have sex with her. I want to make it special. I want to cook her dinner, buy her roses, make her dessert have some wine and make love to her all night. I want to make it special. She's not one of those ring rats that I laid. She's someone special to me. She deserves a special night."

"Who are you? It's like I don't even know you anymore."

"I'm a man that's crazy about a girl," I say with a smile. "I like her a lot, Dean."

"I hope she feels the same way about you. It did take her a really long time to accept your date offer. I don't want to see her hurt you."

"I don't think she would hurt me," I say.

"I hope not," he says. "What's up with you never hanging out with us after RAW and Smackdown anymore?"

"I don't know. I like to take Willow out for dinner after the show and hang out with her."

"She's got you whipped already."

"I wouldn't say that I'm whipped, Dean. Do you have a problem with her?"

"I just think that you two are spending too much time together. I mean you two just started dating not too long ago and now you two are up each other's asses. You don't go anywhere without her and I'm sure that if she wasn't with her father that you would be in Clearwater with her. I don't trust her, Roman. She took way too long to go out on a date with you. I'm not sure she is the best person for you."

"You don't even know her."

"I know enough to know that before you came along she didn't date wrestlers. Why all of a sudden would she change her mind about dating one? Something isn't right here. Maybe she's using you to get to the top in the business."

"Why would she have to use me to get to the top in the business? That doesn't even make sense. She is Taker's daughter. She could get herself to the top that way. I don't think she's using me to get to the top besides no one knows we're dating and she's the divas champion maybe she genuinely cares for me and likes me."

"I don't know," he says, "something doesn't seem right about this whole thing and why is she being so secretive about it?"

"You just said that her dad is one of the most private men in WWE maybe she likes her privacy too, I don't know," I say, "you just need to take the time to get to know her."

"I can't get to know her when you and her hang out alone all the time. I only see her backstage."

"How about this? How about after Raw on Monday night you, Willow and me go out to the bar, get a few drinks and hang out?"

"Making me the third wheel?" he asks. "I don't think so."

"Well, you better get used to hanging out with Willow and me," I say, "because she's going to start traveling with us."

"What? No, that's guy time to talk about guy things. You can't throw a woman into that mix."

"Willow is like one of the guys. She will talk sports and stuff with us."

"But we can't talk about sex in front of her," he says, "does Seth know about this?"

"Yeah he knows," I say.

"And you didn't tell me?"

"I just did. Willow is going to start traveling with us."

"Okay," he says. "She is going to help toward food and gas right?"

"Yes and if not I'll pick up her share," I say. " I want to travel with my girlfriend and my friends. This is the only way we can do it. She's not a bad person. You'll like her I promise."

"How long before you two are rooming together?"

"Well," I say as I pick at my chicken, "about that we were planning on rooming together now that we're traveling together. It makes sense you know what I mean?"

"Yeah sure," he says, "So I guess then Seth and I are rooming together?"

"Yeah," I say. "I'm sorry. I just want that time with Willow. You know I want to be alone with her."

"I get it," he says. "I really get it."

"Are you sure you don't have a problem with her?"

"I have no problem at all," he says. "I'm happy for you," he says, "really happy." He sounds anything but happy but I'm going to let it go. I'm not sure he's a fan of Willow or sure that he likes her. His vibe is telling me that he would rather she not travel with us and that he doesn't like her very much.

 **WILLOW's POINT OF VIEW:**

"So how is the boyfriend?" asks my dad as we are sitting on our private stretch of Clearwater Beach drinking a beer.

"He's good," I say with a smile. "He's working right now."

"That's good how does he feel about you being the Divas Champion?"

"He's proud of me," I say.

"So he supports your wrestling career?"

"Yeah," I say, "he is very supportive of it. He's very involved."

"That's good," he says. "Do you have a title defense in a couple weeks at the next pay-per-view?"

"Yes, Nikki is coming back at me for the championship. She gets her rematch."

"I wonder if you two will be able to top your last match together."

"I hope so," I say, "I think hitting her with the tombstone shocked a lot of people."

"It shocked me," he says as I take a sip of my beer. "I never expected that from you. That's not usually in your move set is it?"

"Not usually," I say, "but I asked Vince if it would be possible for me to finish the match off with a tombstone. He was on board with the idea. I guess not many divas can execute the tombstone."

"Yeah not much, I think only your Uncle Glen and I are the only superstars to ever hit the tombstone. I'm proud that you chose to do it."

"Thanks," I say with a smile. "I like to use some of your moves."

"It's great to see you carrying on the legacy," he says with a smile before I take another sip of my beer. "I am going to be at the next pay-per-view," he says.

"You are?" I ask with shock. "Why? It's in Missouri why are you going to the next pay-per-view?"

"I'm supposed to be building up to my match at Summerslam," he says.

"What? Your match at Summerslam? I didn't know you had a match at Summerslam, I thought that you just wrestled at Mania?"

"Normally I do but I wanted to have a match at Summerslam this year. Vince, Hunter and Stephanie are really trying to build it up. They want Summerslam to be the Wrestlemania of the summer so they have put me in a match."

"I'm just not used to you working an extra match during the year. I'm pretty excited though. Does this mean you're going to be working more?"

"I'll be making a few appearances throughout the year. I'll be making a couple appearances in the next couple weeks to build up for my match. I have been training and getting back in the gym to prepare my old bones for this."

"You're not old," I say with a smile.

"I've beaten up my body a lot in the last 25 years. It's old, my bones are old and I have had countless injuries. It's almost time for me to give it up."

"You're thinking about retiring?" I ask with disappointment. I knew the time was going to come when he thought about it but I never thought it would be this soon. WWE without Taker I don't even know what it would be like.

"I've been contemplating," he says. "I have given the business 25 years of my life. I have missed out on so much. I was never around for you and your sisters as well as your brother because I was always out on the road. My body is in constant pain. I love WWE and I love the business but sometimes you need to know when it's time to give it up. I'm not saying I'm done now but I'm thinking about it. If anything Mania would be my final match."

"It's really going to suck if you retire but I understand why you think it is time. You have given this business your all and made sacrifices for them. You deserve to enjoy some life. I just wish that you could do it forever."

"Me too, Scout," he says, "I haven't said anything to Michelle yet because I'm still thinking about it so please don't say anything to her."

"I won't, Daddy," I say, "so who is your match at Summerslam against?"

"Brock Lesnar," he says.

"Brock?" I ask with concern. "Last time you stepped in the ring with him you ended up messed up for weeks. You collapsed backstage. Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"The last time I wasn't prepared," he says, "I need some redemption. He ended my streak, the Undertaker has to get revenge. I'll be better this time. I'm going to get myself into shape and get myself ready for this match."

"Daddy," I say, "I don't like the idea of you wrestling Brock Lesnar again one bad suplex and everything could be over. Is this something that you want to do or did they talk you into it?"

"It's something that I want to do. I'm not going to let Brock hold it over my head that he ended my streak. I'm coming back for redemption and revenge. He may have ended the streak but he isn't winning the war."

"Daddy," I say.

"Scout," he says, "I know you're worried but everything is going to be fine at Summerslam. I will be in the best shape of my life. Everything will be okay."

"I hope so," I say, "he should have never ended your streak in the first place. Was that your decision or was that Vince's?"

"Vince suggested it to me but he wanted to make sure I was okay with it. I gave him the okay. Nothing lasts forever, Scout. You'll learn that."

"Yeah but to be undefeated for 21 consecutive Manias it should have never ended that's my opinion. That was my opinion that night and it's still my opinion today. The streak shouldn't have been ended but I guess it's your career and your choice but it could have been anyone but Lesnar."

"You don't like him much do you?"

"Hell no," I say, "and it has nothing to do with the fact that he ended your streak. It's the fact he didn't deserve that honor and because of all the shit he caused in our lives a few years ago with you and Sara."

"I know I'm not a fan of the guy either but it is what it is. I'm going to get my revenge and my redemption. He's not winning this battle."

"I hope not," I say, "I'm just worried about you, Daddy. I keep thinking about Mania with him and how it ended. You were in really bad shape after that match. I don't want to see you like that again it really scared me, Daddy. You could barely walk."

"I know, Scout," he says putting his arm around me. "I promise everything is going to be all right this time. I don't know what happened last time. It just wasn't a good match but I won't let it happen again."

"I hope not," I say as I wrap my arm around him. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, Scout," he says with a smile as he kisses the top of my head.

 ***A/N: Do you think Dean has a problem with Willow? Do you think he is jealous of Roman's relationship with her or do you think he dislikes her? What do you think about Willow traveling with them? What about Roman and Willow rooming together from now on? Do you think they can keep their relationship a secret or will it eventually get out to the WWE universe? Why do you think Willow is so secretive about it? What did you think of Willow's concern for her father wrestling Brock Lesnar again? Do you think she has reason to be concerned? What about her dad considering retirement? Do you think she will handle that well? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	8. Chapter 8

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

"So how are things with you and Roman?" asks Zahra as we're having lunch in Orlando after spending the morning training at the Performance Center.

"Pretty good," I say with a smile as I dig into my salad. "Things are really good. I'm actually going over to his place tonight."

"Sounds like fun," she says with a smile, "so will I expect you home tonight?"

"Probably not," I say. "He invited me to stay the night. I'm thinking about it."

"Have you two had sex yet?" she asks taking a bite of her salad.

"No," I say, "we haven't gotten there yet. I know I want to though."

"I bet," she says with a smile as I eat my salad. "Maybe tonight."

"That would be great but I'm fine with waiting as long as he is. I don't want to rush into sex though you know. We're still getting used to each other."

"Yeah," she says, "obviously Seth and I didn't care about all that."

"I noticed," I say, "I don't know what my mornings would be like if I didn't walk into the kitchen seeing Seth in his briefs making you coffee and making himself coffee. What's going on there anyway? I know he has a fiancée."

"He does," she says, "I don't even know what happened. We went to the club and we hooked up there then after that everything just started to happen. He's trying to find a way to break things off with his fiancée though. He doesn't want to be with her anymore."

"Because he wants to be with you?"

"Yeah that's what he says," she says. "We'll see what happens. We're just having fun with it right now."

"At someone else's expense," I say, "you know how I feel about cheating. I think it's the dirtiest thing a person can do. You know that my step mom wasn't the best to my dad. I'm not going to condone this whole thing and applaud you for ruining someone else's happiness just to find your own."

"I'm not really doing that," she says.

"But you really are. His fiancée is going to find out about you two and that's going to break her down. No one deserves that pain."

"I guess," she says.

"Look, Z, I'm not trying to judge you. I'm just saying I don't condone cheating and I don't like when people get hurt because of infidelity. I watched my dad get hurt by someone he truly loved twice because the two women cheated on him with another man. It wasn't fair to him. I watched him deal with that pain, pain he didn't deserve. No one deserves it but you're an adult and you're going to do what you want to do but just know I'm not supporting you in this."

"I understand," she says. "So did you tell your dad about Roman yet?"

"No," I say as I let out deep breath. "I wanted to over the weekend in Clearwater but then he laid it on me that he's facing Brock Lesnar at Summerslam. I didn't want to tell him. I will soon though."

"I hope that you do," she says, "you know it's so easy for him to find out from any of his friends in the back as well as the internet. You do know we're in the entertainment business right?"

"I know and the same can be said for you and Seth. Secrets always come out. I'll tell my dad after Summerslam."

"I hope he doesn't find out before then especially with all the posts on Instagram you're making with you and Roman. He's going to get suspicious."

"My dad doesn't go on IG," I say. "He barely goes on the internet. He has a Facebook page but that's about it. I'm surprised he even has that with how private he is. I'm not too worried about it. Michelle has an IG though but I don't think she'll say anything if she picks up on it."

"Let's hope not," she says, "you know with you dating Roman Reigns fans are going to start talking and word is going to get around. You should tell your dad before he hears it from someone else or I don't know catches you two together."

"I will," I say. "I promise."

"Okay," she says "I hope so."

"I will, I promise," I say, "it's just a matter of finding the right time."

"Well, hopefully you find the right time and don't wait till the wrong time happens for someone else to tell him because I don't think that's going to be good."

"Probably not but I'll tell him after Summerslam."

"Okay," she says. "I hope so."

"I will," I say.

"I believe you," she says as we continue eating our lunch. "Do you like being on the road with WWE?"

"I love it," I say. "It's everything I ever wanted in life."

"Is it tiring?"

"Yes," I say, "it's exhausting. It takes me the two days I am off to recover from traveling only to do it all over again. I think that's the biggest misconception of being on the main roster. You never really know how tough it is until you get there. You hear about it but until you really live it you don't know what it's like. Living out of a suitcase, traveling from one city to another and running on 3 hours of sleep most nights, early workouts, long drives and late night travels it's exhausting. When I come home I just like to unwind and sleep until it's time to do it all again. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do. I love going out in front of that crowd and put on a show but I'm still adjusting to the lifestyle I'm living. I know my dad lived it for years but like I said until it's you, you really have no idea how crazy it is. You start to make friends though, lots of friends. You become a family on the road."

"And sometimes you find a boyfriend on the road," she says with a smile.

"Stop it," I say with a smile as I feel my cheeks blush. "I like Roman a lot. He's a good guy. I'm sorry that I gave him such a hard time before. He didn't deserve it. I like him a lot."

"I can tell," she says. "I'm glad that you're finally happy again after your last boyfriend."

"Don't even talk about that asshole. I'm glad he's gone. He was probably the what was I thinking type of guy. The biggest mistake of my life."

"Yeah," she says. "He was a real winner."

"More worried about my money and my dad than worried about me, that's what sucks the most when you're the Undertaker's daughter you never really know who is your friend or who really loves you sometimes it's about the money and the fame. I hate it."

"You hate fame?"

"I hate when people love me for the fame. I had a private life until the day I stepped into NXT, as private of a life as my dad could give me. He did his best but in school how can you just forget that you're in class with The Undertaker's daughter or that you're in karate with her or gymnastics. You always have to question who your true friends are and who they aren't. I'm very cautious of the men I have in my life as a lover as well as anyone that's in my life as a friend. It' sad that it has to be that way but you know what I mean."

"I guess," she says. "In this business we have no private lives. Our lives are an open book. Everything about us is on the internet and that's when you have to check your friends and the people that say they care about you. You just never know who you can trust and who you can't especially your friends on social media."

"I know all about that. I keep all my accounts private and only have my family and close friends on there. I don't add fans or anyone I don't know. I even put that on my IG profile that I only accept people I know in real life. I deny a lot of requests," I say, "I like my privacy."

"Doesn't WWE encourage that you have Twitter and Instagram?"

"Yeah but I'm not complying to that. I don't want people I don't know in my personal life. I may make a page for Storm and only post wrestling pictures but nothing personal. I want two separate lives; a professional one and a private one," I say.

"That's a good idea."

"Well, think about it. I post pictures of me with my friends' kids, my sisters and other people. I don't want their pics and stuff plastered all over the internet. It's not fair to them."

"Good point," she says before we continue eating our lunch and talking about working in the WWE as well as to planning a party at our apartment. It's been a while since we had a party and I think a celebration is in order for my success in WWE plus I want to see some of my friends.

 **LATER THAT NIGHT:**

I arrive at Roman's house around 6 like he told me to. I walk to the front door from his driveway and ring the doorbell. I wait a few minutes before he answers the door wearing a pair of black basketball shorts and a bright green tank top and his hair pulled into a ponytail. "Hey, Baby," he says as he wraps his large arm around my waist and leans down to kiss my lips. "You look beautiful as always," he says as he takes my hand leading me into his home.

"This old thing?" I ask pointing to my white tank top showing my stomach and my blue jeans with a pair of Old Navy flip flops with my hair pulled up into a messy bun. "It's just something I threw on."

"You look beautiful in anything you wear," he says with a smile before he kisses my lips once again. "I ordered us some Chinese food for dinner are you okay with that?" he asks.

"That's fine. I'll eat anything as long as I am with you." I say giving him a smile.

"So it's going to be a while before the food gets here would you like a tour of the house?" he asks.

"Sure," I say, "I'd love that."

"Okay," he says as he takes me to the kitchen first. He has a decent size kitchen that overlooks the living room. The countertops are made of marble and the cupboards are made of a polished wood. He shows me his stainless steel refrigerator and the contents in it, the typical guy fridge. He is fully stocked up on beers as he hands me one and takes one for himself before he takes me to the living room. It's a nice little living room. He has leather furniture and a wooden coffee table in the middle of the room. There is a large flat screen plastered to the wall with a blu-ray disc player and DVD player, an X-box game system on top of stand holding DVD's, blu-rays and video games.

He takes me through the living room and I look at a few pictures on the wall. "Is that your daughter?" I ask pointing to a picture of a little girl that looks a little like him. She has his mouth but I can tell the rest of her features come from her mother.

"Yes, that's my daughter Alaya," he says with a smile. He seems so proud of her. "She was only 5 in that picture. She's going to be 8 this November," he says. "I have some more recent pictures of her on my phone if you want to see her later."

"Sure," I say with a smile as I take a sip of my beer. "She's a beautiful little girl."

"Thank-you," he says with a proud smile before we go on a tour of the rest of the first floor as he shows me his game room, his laundry room and this office as well as the bathroom. He takes me upstairs showing me two guest rooms and his daughter's room. The typical little girl room with lavender walls and a bed decorated in princess bedding. "And this is my room," he says showing me his bedroom. It's a lot more organized than my room and I'm surprised. He has all his shoes lined up outside his walk in closet. His carpet is a light blue almost grey type color and the walls are a baby blue and there are dark blue curtains. His bed is covered in dark blue bedding with a nightstand next to it with a lamp on it. He takes me into his bathroom showing me the master bathroom. The tub is large and it can be used as a Jacuzzi as well. He ends the tour of the house by showing me his pool in the backyard.

"Nice house," I say with a smile as we end up back in the living room. "You live here all by yourself?"

"For the most part, yeah," he says with a smile as he wraps me up in his arms causing butterflies to flutter. I wrap my arms around his waist as he kisses the top of my forehead. "So how was your day?"

"It was good," I say with a smile as I rest my head on his firm chest as he holds me. "I did some training at the Performance Center today and then had lunch with Z it was a nice day."

"I'm glad," he says as the doorbell rings. "That's probably the food. I'll be right back."

"Okay," I say as we reluctantly let go of each other as he grabs his wallet off the coffee table before making his way to the front door to pay for our food. Roman brings the food to the living room and puts it down on the coffee table and pulls out the containers of food. He takes a seat next to the coffee table as I do the same. He hands me my food and opens his own.

"So did you get a chance to tell your dad about us?" he asks as he takes a bite of his egg roll.

"No," I say, "I wanted to tell him but then we started to talk about Summerslam. He has a match at Summerslam."

"He does?" he asks as I eat some of my rice.

"Yes against Brock Lesnar. I'm not feeling good about it but he wants to do it so I can't stop him. He's a stubborn man."

"So I see where you get it," he says with a smile.

"I am not stubborn."

"No? How hard was it for me to get a date with you? You're stubborn there's nothing to be ashamed of. I enjoyed the challenge," he says with a smile.

"I'm sure I was a challenge. I mean you have all these women falling at your feet trying to get laid by you. It's always been easy I'm sure."

"Yeah but there's only one woman on my mind that I want to be with and that's you," he says making me smile. The butterflies in my stomach resurface as he looks at me with his blue-grey eyes.

"Aw, that's sweet Pretty Boy," I say with a smile. "You're the only guy that I want to be with."

"Good to hear," he says with a smile. "So why are you so worried about telling your dad about us?"

"Because my dad has always told me that he doesn't want me to be involved with a wrestler. Even though he was one he said that being in the business dating someone I work with isn't a good idea in case something were to happen. You know like a bad blood type of thing? I also think that he thinks it's damaging to my career."

"But he married a diva," he says, "isn't it hypocritical of him to tell you not to date a wrestler?"

"Just a little I guess, I have called him on that a couple times. I think that when he finds out about us and knows how good of a guy you are he will be all right. He's probably going to be upset at first but I think he'll like you."

"I hope so. I don't think I want to be on your dad's bad side."

"I probably wouldn't want to be either," I say. "I'm just kidding my dad is a sweetheart. He just seems like a rough guy. He's not really. He's like a big teddy bear."

"Maybe to you but not to the 6'2 , 240 pound Samoan dating his daughter. You may have him wrapped around your finger but I don't and he's probably going to hate me."

"He won't hate you," I say, "relax."

"Okay," he says, "when do you plan on telling him?"

"After Summerslam," I say.

"Okay," he says, "I can live with that. I don't' want to keep it a secret too much longer."

"We won't," I say, "I promise."

"Okay," he says, "so can I ask why you're so private about us being together?"

"I just don't like people in my private life," I say, "I don't know how you grew up but the way I grew up my dad was a really private person. He made sure that my brother, my sisters and I grew up out of the public eye. I know in the business we're in that people are going to know us and know about us but I want to keep much of my life off the screen as private as I possibly can. When things start to get too publicized a lot of good things are ruined. I like my privacy and I want to enjoy you without everyone worried about us and what we're doing. It's not anyone's business but ours."

"I understand," he says, "and if you want to keep our relationship private I will agree to that. The only ones that need to know are our families and close friends."

"Thank-you," I say, "I'm sorry it's just privacy is really important to me."

"I understand," he says. "That's fine."

"Thank-you," I say as I cuddle up next to him as he turns the TV on as we sit and eat our Chinese food together. "Z and I are having a party next week if you want to come to it."

"Of course when is it?"

"Wednesday night," I say, "Since we aren't home on the weekends we decided to have one on a night we're home and don't have to go out the next day."

"Cool, I'll be there," he says.

"There will be lots of alcohol."

"You're speaking my language," he says before he kisses my lips softly. "Are you going to Australia?"

"Yeah, are you?"

"Yeah," he says with a smile. "I'm glad you're going with us."

"Me too," I say as I wrap my arm around his and continue eating our food. "I've never been to Australia before. I'm looking forward to it."

"Me too," he says. "I've gone the last couple years. They are good shows. Maybe you and I can go do some sight-seeing before the shows if you want."

"That would be awesome," I say with a smile. "I've always wanted to see a koala bear and hold one."

"Well, I'll put that on our agenda," he says, "anything to make you happy."

"You're the best boyfriend ever!" I say before kissing his cheek softly making him smile.

"I do my best, Baby Girl," he says making me smile even bigger.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Willow getting on Zahra for being with Seth? Did she have the right? What about Zahra and Roman pushing her to till her dad about her and Roman? Do you agree with them that she should tell him before someone else does? How long do you think Willow is going to be able to enjoy her privacy? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	9. Chapter 9

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

"This is a beautiful beach house," says Roman as he looks around as we walk into my family's beach house a few days later in Clearwater, Florida.

"Thanks," I say with a smile. "It's one of my favorite places to be. My dad told me I could come here whenever I wanted and to just let him know if I was using it or not. I told him that I was spending a couple days here with some friends."

"You didn't tell him that you and I were staying here?" he asks. "Come on, Willow," he says. "I don't like keeping this secret from him. It doesn't make me feel good," he says wrapping his arms around my waist as my arms snake around his neck.

"Just give me till Summerslam and I'll tell him. I don't want anything to distract him from his match with Brock Lesnar. You have no idea how worried I am about him wrestling in this match. You've been in the ring with Lesnar you know how scary and how rough of a competitor he is. I keep thinking about my dad at Mania last year. It took him so long to get well again. He was beaten up for months. He was taken to a hospital because he had taken such a beating from Brock. I want my dad to be completely focused on that match and not on you and me dating. Can you give me till after Summerslam to tell him that you and I are dating?"

"I guess," he says leaning down to touch his forehead to mine making me smile. "But I don't like it," he says.

"I know but just give me a few more weeks okay?"

"Okay," he says. "Just a few more weeks."

"Just a few more weeks," I say reassuring him.

"Okay," he says before he kisses me softly.

"So, would you like a tour of the beach house before we head to the beach?" I ask with a smile.

"Sure," he says with a smile. "I'd love that."

"Okay," I say as I take him on a tour of the beach house. He grabs our bags and carries them with him as we make our way through the house. I show him the kitchen followed by the family room. "We don't have a TV here because there's no need for a TV while we're here. It's all about hanging out with each other and hanging out at the beach."

"Good idea," he says with a smile as I take him upstairs to the bedrooms. I show him the room I usually stay in with my sisters when I come with my family and then I show him the master bedroom of the beach house and the master bedroom. He lays our stuff in the master bedroom before I take him out to the back area to show him the in-ground pool we have. "Pretty impressive," he says with a smile as we make our way into the sliding glass door in the kitchen. "Your dad spares no expense does he?"

"Not at all," I say, "he has quite a few properties too. He has a home in Denver where I love to go in the winter time to go skiing, he has this beautiful beach house here and a big ranch in Texas."

"Wow, that's a lot of property," he says. "Does he have a home in Tampa too?"

"Yes," I say. "He's actually staying there now."

"Oh really?" he asks.

"Yeah," I say. "He said he had some business to take care of in Tampa so he's in town."

"Is that why you wanted to come to the beach?"

"I wanted to come to the beach to spend a couple days alone with my sexy beast of a man," I say with a smile. "I didn't bring you here to avoid him if that's what you're thinking."

"Well, it is what I am thinking but nonetheless I am ready to enjoy the next couple days with you. In fact I am ready to hit the beach right now. Are you?"

"Yeah," I say with a smile, "let's go get changed."

We make our way up to the master bedroom and we get into our bags to pull out our swimsuits. I grab my bikini and head into the bathroom to change into it so Roman has his privacy to change into his trunks. I pull my hair up into a high messy bun before I make my way out into the bedroom to see Roman standing dark blue swimming trunks, shirtless and his hair pulled into a bun. He looks, there are no words to describe how he looks, he's a Samoan God with a large firm body. His eyes immediately trace my body as I stand in my bikini taking in the sight of him. "Wow," he says with a smile. "I approve," he says with a smile as he looks me over in my black bikini that leaves very little to the imagination.

"I'm glad you approve, can you tie it for me?"

"My pleasure," he says as I turn around for him to tie my bikini. He takes his hands over my clavicle as he pulls the strings back. It sends a wave of electricity through me as he touches me so intimately. "Beautiful," he whispers into my ear before he kisses behind it softly. He kisses my neck softly and intimately before he ties the strings making me smile. There is nothing more intimate than a man kissing your neck and whispering sweet words into your ear. "I didn't know you had a tattoo," he says as he traces the tattoo on the back of my neck with this soft fingers.

"I have a couple," I say with a smile as I turn to face him. "I have one right here too," I say showing him the Serenity prayer on the side of my breast bone. "And I have a butterfly right here," I say showing him my hip bone.

He touches it with his finger pulling my bikini bottoms down a little to see the full tattoo. "I'm going to need to explore that later," he says as he traces it before pulling me to him and giving me a deep kiss. "And the tattoo on your neck what does it say?" he asks.

"It says faith in Chinese," I say.

"Nice," he says with a smile. "We should head to the beach before I take you right now."

"Oh really?" I ask with a smile as I play with his trunks. "Maybe I want you to take me right now."

"Later, Baby I promise," he says with a smile. "I want to make it a special night since it will be our first time."

"Okay," I say with a smile as he strokes my cheek with his thumb. "Let's go to the beach."

"Let's go," he says with a smile as he scoops me up into his arms and carries me down stairs. He puts me down as he grabs some of our beach stuff before he lets me piggy back ride to the beach with him.

We have our own private section of the beach. When we arrive at the beach he puts me down into the hot sand on my feet as he lays out our beach blanket before pulling sunblock out of the bag. He puts some sunblock on his hands and rubs it together before he rubs it onto me. He teases me as he caresses each part of my body as he puts the sunblock on my legs. I feel my knees weaken as he rubs it onto my inner thighs with his large hands. He makes his way up my body and rubs some onto my stomach and the small of my back. He massages it onto my shoulders getting me ready for what's in store later tonight. After he's finished he hands me the sunblock and I do the same to him making sure I rub every visible part of his body focusing mainly on his beautiful firm chest and his large arms. I tease him the way he teased me. I never knew that putting sunblock on a person could be so hot but then again I never put sunblock on Roman Reigns and Roman Reigns never put sunblock on me. We spend the afternoon laying on the beach blanket talking and enjoying our time together as we tan before we spend some time in the water where we splash each other and kiss each other often. There's nothing sweeter than kissing my man in the clear blue water in the Gulf as the waves crash down around us.

After our afternoon on the beach Roman and I go back to the beach house and take a shower to wash the saltwater and sand off of us. I dress myself in a black tank top and a pair of white denim shorts before throwing my hair up into a messy bun while Roman runs out to get something to cook us for dinner. I'm impressed that he's cooking us dinner. I never thought of him as a cooking type of man but I'm not going to complain. I make my way down to the family room after I'm dressed to read a book while I wait for him to come back. He comes home with a couple steaks, vegetables and stuff to make a green salad with. I offer to help him cook but he told me to take it easy and he would handle everything. I wasn't going to argue with him so I went back to reading my book until it was time to eat. I never had anything more delicious in my entire life. He made us steak, grilled vegetables and tossed us a green salad that we ate while we drank some wine. I never had a man cook me dinner before. It was great.

"That was an amazing dinner, Babe," I say as we're sitting out on the deck underneath the night sky as a cool breeze is going to cool things down from the humidity drinking wine together.

"Thanks," he says as he places his hand on my thigh. "I wanted to do something special for you."

"I enjoyed it. I never had a man cook me dinner before," I say.

"No?" he asks.

"No, never that's a first and I never brought a guy to this beach house either," I say, "so another first for you Mr. Reigns."

"I'm impressed," he says with a smile as he rubs my thigh softly. "So are you ready to start traveling on the road with Dean and me?"

"I don't think Dean likes me very much," I say.

"It's not that he doesn't like you. He doesn't know you," he says. "Dean is misunderstood."

"Roman, I have good vibes about people. I can tell when someone doesn't like me. Don't underestimate them."

"Okay so you may not be his favorite person right now but he has to get to know you so he can see how wonderful and amazing you are. I think you two will be really good friends once he gets to know you."

"I hope so because I want to like all of your friends just like I want you to like all of my friends so that we can have a bring our crew together type of night once in a while."

"What's that?" he asks as I take a sip of my wine.

"That's when my crew and your crew come together one night to hang out. That way our friends can get to know each other and I can get to know your friends, you get to know my friends. I mean it seems like a good idea."

"Most of your friends and most of my friends are in the business."

"This is true but really, Roman, you and I didn't even know each other until the day we ran into each other at the gym. I doubt my friends know your friends."

"Well, Z and Seth know each other pretty well," he says with a smile making me smile.

"That's true but different," I say. "They do know each other pretty well. I can't tell you how much I love seeing Seth in my kitchen making coffee in the morning."

"Oh really, should I be there to make you coffee?" he asks as his fingers slip under my denim shorts.

"If that's what you want," I say with a smile. "I don't think I would complain as long as you make it right."

"I know how you like your coffee," he says.

"We never spent more than one night together how could you possibly know that?"

"Willow," he says, "I notice everything about you. I see you backstage getting coffee. You like it black with a little bit of sugar and no creamer."

"Right," I say with a smile. "You're pretty observant. What else have you noticed about me?"

"Well," he says positioning his chair so he can face me. "I noticed that your eyes change color depending on your mood. When you're happy they're a beautiful clear blue, when you're tired they are a deeper blue, when you're upset they are light green but when you look at me they are pure green. I know you have the most beautiful smile and the most contagious laugh I have ever heard. You have the thickest southern accent I have ever heard. I noticed that you always have your nose in a book and you like to party too. You're one of a kind. I know when you get upset your nose scrunches up and it's the cutest thing I have ever seen. I know you get nervous you twirl the ends of your hair. I notice everything about you because each day Willow I fall more in love with you. I love you, Willow. I know it's early for that but I can't help how I feel about you. I love you."

"Roman," I say with a smile. "I feel the same way about you. Each day I fall more in love with you. I thought that you were just some guy that I met in the gym but you're so much more than that. You're an amazing man. You're sweet, you're sexy, you're smart and you're mine. I love you, Roman," I say with a smile.

"I love you too," he says with a smile before I lean forward, cupping the side of his face with my hand and kissing him deeply as his arm wraps around my back and I feel his strong hand on the small of my back. He pulls away leaving us breathless as he stands up. He takes my hand into his. He helps me up out of the chair and we make our way inside the beach house. I lock the sliding glass door before we make our way upstairs to the master bedroom stopping to kiss each other along the way. We reach the master bedroom and I shut the door behind us, locking it as he pulls me over to the bed with him. He takes a seat on the bed as I straddle him. My lips press against his as we share another deep passionate kiss with each other. I undo his hair and let his soft hair fall over his shoulders as I run my hands through it as I feel his large hands slid up the back of my black tank top. He caresses my body softly as our kiss deepens. I push him back onto the bed so I'm lying on top of him as we continue our deep kiss, his hands exploring my body under my tank top. I break the kiss long enough to sit up and remove my tank top exposing my white lace bra before my lips are on his again. He rolls me over, covering my body with his as the kiss deepens, my hands in his soft hair as he cups my face with one hand and caresses my rib cage with the other. His leg between mine as I feel the erection forming in his basketball shorts as it presses against my inner thigh. He pulls away and takes off his black tank top exposing his firm large chest. I take my hand over his chest before he's kissing me again. "I want you so much right now, Willow," he says in his deep voice making me shiver.

"I want you too," I say as he looks into my green eyes with his blue-grey orbs. I reach up to caress his face but he catches my hand and kisses my knuckles softly. His full lips kissing my jaw down my neck. I feel his teeth graze my neck line as he nibbles and sucks at it softly and then kissing the sting of his bite marks on my neck line. His lips move down my body as he kisses the top of my breasts as he takes one of his hands to massage one of them while kissing the other. He pulls the lace bra away from my breast exposing my nipple. He rubs it through his fingers before he takes it into his mouth. A moan escapes me as he sucks on my breasts hard and fast while squeezing the other one roughly but not to the point it hurts. He moves his way over to the other breast and does the same, taking it into his mouth, sucking so perfectly as I bite my lip. He unsnaps my bra freeing my breasts as he kisses around them, nibbling them softly before a trail of kisses go down my stomach. He reaches the top of my white denim jean shorts and unbuttons them. I help him take them off exposing my matching white lace underwear. His mouth over my butterfly tattoo, he kisses it softly before he nibbles at it. His teeth graze the top of my pelvic bone and I have never been more ready for a man in my life as I am at this moment. I want him more than ever. His soft nibbles and soft kisses on my pelvic bone make me want to cum but I resist the urge as he pulls my white panties away and throws them to the floor. He spreads my legs gently. His lips on my inner thighs, kissing and nibbling at them. I let out a gasp as I feel his mouth over my sex. He kisses it softly before I feel his tongue lick over my clit, flicking it softly. I grab onto the pillow and grip it as he licks me softly before he makes love to me with his tongue. I moan out in pleasure as he hits the right spots with his tongue. I can't hold it back anymore as the passion tears through me and rips through my body. I cum with a powerful cry as I feel him licking my hot juices with his magical tongue. He moves his body up mine and I feel his large erection between my legs through the material of his basketball shorts. I reach down between my legs and stroke him softly as he continues to kiss me deeply and passionately. He moans into my mouth as I slip my hand into his shorts touching his erection, stroking it as it becomes harder in my hand.

He pulls away and stands up to remove his shorts freeing his large, thick and full erection. I know instantly why the other girls could not get enough of Roman, he's blessed beyond words. I find myself panting at wanting him inside of me, needing him to make love to me. "Are you on the pill, birth control?" he asks with ecstasy and lust in his voice as I see sex in his eyes.

"I have the IUD," I say, "I'm good," I say.

"Okay," he says as he covers my body with his, spreading my legs with his knee, his erection against my inner thigh as he kisses me once more. He takes his erection and strokes it along my clit softly, teasing me, making me want him. He rubs it on the outside of my sex before he enters the tip of his erection inside of me. I gasp as I feel the largeness of his head in me. "I'm going to go slow okay."

"Okay," I say as he slides himself further into me. He gives me time to adjust to his size before he starts his soft and gentle movements. He makes love to me in the sweetest way. I pick up on his rhythm and move with him as he makes love to me. My fingers slide up and down his back as he hits every sensitive spot of me. My lips on his neck, my teeth sinking into his flesh, sucking him hard and soft as he makes love to me, the pleasure ripping through me and tearing through me till I can longer take it, with a deep thrust, I dig my nails into his back, sink my teeth into his shoulder curling my toes into the mattress as I cum covering his dick with my hot juices. He moans as he feels my pleasure on him. He continues to move as my body spasms through an orgasm. He makes one last deep thrust into me and with a moan I feel his seed filling me powerfully.

"Willow," he groans as he fills me with his seed, the release so powerful his cum slips out between my legs and covers part of my inner thigh. "Fuck," he says as he finally reaches the end of his release and presses his lips against mine, giving me one deep passionate kiss before he starts to move again. We make love a couple more times, bringing the other to their climax. Roman reaches his final release before he kisses my lips softly before he slowly removes himself from me. "That was…"

"Amazing," I say as he takes me into his arms. "I love you, Baby." I say as I take my finger over his chest, tracing his tattoo.

"I love you too," he says kissing the top of my head. He holds me in his arms as I rest my head on his chest, listening to his heart beat and his deep breaths before I fall asleep as he holds me tightly and I hold onto him as we tangle ourselves up in the sheets.

 **THE NEXT MORNING:**

"WILLOW!" I hear my dad's voice as I hear a knock on the door. "Wake up."

I groan myself awake hoping it's just a dream but I hear him call my name again. I try to move but Roman tightens his grip on me not letting me go as he sleeps peacefully. He looks so cute when he sleeps. I take a couple minutes to admire it before I reluctantly wake him up. "Roman," I whisper. "Wake up."

"Wh.." he starts to say before I cover his mouth with my hand.

"My dad, he's here," I say in a whisper as my dad knocks on the door again.

"Willow," he says, "it's your dad."

"Shit," says Roman as he sits up and I can't help but to notice is amazing body, the love marks on his neck and on his chest that I gave him during our passionate night of making love to each other. "What the fuck is he doing here?" he whispers. I smile at him. "What?" he asks.

"I love your after sex look," I say with a smile as I admire his swollen lips and his hair in a tangled mess.

"This isn't a joke, Willow, I don't think the first time I meet your dad be in bed with his daughter would be very funny."

"I'll get rid of him," I say, "just relax okay?"

"Okay," he says before I kiss his lips softly.

I get myself out of bed and say, "Dad, I'll be right out."

"Okay," he says as I hear him outside the door.

"I just have to get dressed," I say as I gather my clothes from the night before. I look at Roman and he is amused as I rush to get dressed. I throw my hair up into a messy bun before I kiss his lips softly. "I'll be right back. It won't take me long, I promise."

"Okay, Baby Girl," he says before he smacks my ass causing me to squeal before I make my way to the door. He covers his mouth with a pillow as he laughs. I give him the finger before I open the door slowly and not too wide so my dad doesn't see him.

"Dad," I say shutting the door behind me.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Roman and Willow going to spend a couple days together at the beach? What do you think of Roman telling Willow that they need to tell her dad about them? Do you think Willow took Roman to the beach to avoid her father being in Tampa? What did you think of Roman cooking her dinner? What about them telling each other that they love one another? What did you think of their first time together? Was it special for them? What do you think of Willow's dad showing up? What do you think is going to happen now? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	10. Chapter 10

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much.***

"What are you doing here?" I ask my dad as I stand in front of him with my hand still on the door knob to the master bedroom of the beach house. He looks at me with his blue-green eyes, he opens his mouth to say something but closes it again. "Dad," I say, "what are you doing here? I thought you were in Tampa for a few days?"

"I was, I mean I am," he says, "but I thought that maybe you wanted to hang out today at the beach with your old man."

"Dad, I'm actually kind of busy today. I'm sorry maybe another time. Can I take a rain check on that?"

"Yeah, sure, Scout," he says as he looks at me again. "Where are your friends?" he asks.

"My friends? Um, I actually didn't come here with friends, Daddy. I came with my boyfriend. We're actually spending a couple days together here before I go back out on the road."

"I see," he says, "it seems to me that you two are enjoying your time here together," he says.

"I am," I say with a smile. "We spent the day at the beach yesterday, he cooked me dinner and we spent the night together. It was a nice day and night."

"I'm glad you had a good day," he says, "but maybe next time you have your boyfriend at your dad's beach house and he shows up to see his baby girl you should hide the hickeys on your neck a little better."

I feel my face heat and my free hand goes up to my neck to cover it out of embarrassment. I know things got a little out of control the night before as far as that goes but I wasn't expecting to see my dad standing in front of me the next morning. "I'm sorry," I say. "I just."

"I understand, you weren't expecting me to show up. I should have called first. I keep forgetting that you're 24 years old and that you have a life that doesn't involve your dad. I'm sorry. I should have called you before I showed up."

"Daddy," I say, "you're still a big part of my life I promise. It's just I wanted a couple days with my boyfriend to relax and hang out. Nothing against you, if I had known that you were going to come for a visit I would have planned better. I'm sorry."

"I'm the one that should be sorry, Willow," he says and I know he's hurt. He never calls me Willow unless he's upset with me or he is hurt by something I did. "You're an adult and I'm intruding in your life."

"You're not intruding in my life," I say, "I just didn't expect you to show up today. I promise I will hang out with you another day. I just want to hang out with him today. I brought him here to spend time alone with him."

"Okay," he says, "well, can I at least meet the man that has my daughter's heart?" he asks as I hear the shower start to run in the master bedroom.

"I don't think right now is the best time, Daddy," I say honestly.

"When are you going to let me meet him?" he asks.

"Soon," I say. "Very soon I promise."

"I hope so. I want to meet the man that you're so crazy about."

"And I want you to meet him too but today just isn't a good day. I promise you'll meet him soon though."

"I can live with that. When did you grow up to be such a woman?"

"I think 6 years ago," I say with a smile.

"I guess so," he says with a smile before he kisses the top of my head. "I love you, Scout."

"I love you too, Dad," I say. "I'll call you to set something up. Maybe if you're still in Tampa when I get back from the road we can do lunch together."

"That would be wonderful," he says, "I'll be in Tampa a lot because I'm doing a lot of training for my match with Brock at Summerslam."

"Oh," I say as I bite my lip.

"So maybe while I am there maybe your boyfriend, you and me could have lunch together some time what do you say?"

"I'll think about it, Dad. I'm just not ready for you to meet him yet okay. When I'm ready for you to meet him I'll make sure you're the first person in the family to meet him. Just give me a little bit of time okay?"

"Okay," he says. "I just want to make sure this guy is good for my baby girl. I know in the past you had a rough relationship and I want to make sure this guy has your best interest at heart."

"I know, Dad," I say as I touch his arm. "If it eases your mind just a little bit he does have a really good heart and he seems to have my best interest at heart. He's a really great guy just remember that when you meet him. He treats me very well and I love him."

He smiles at me and says, "I'm glad you're happy. I'll let you go and let you enjoy the rest of your time with your boyfriend. And next time I'll call before I stop by."

"Thanks, Dad," I say with a smile. "I love you."

"I love you too," he says before he kisses my head once more before he makes his way down the stairs. I wait till I hear the front door to the beach house close before I walk back into the bedroom to see Roman is nowhere to be found. I hear the shower running and make my way to the bathroom. I smile as I see his glorious naked body through the glass as he lathers himself up with soap and cleans himself. It has to be a crime for a man to look this sexy and look this good.

"Enjoying the show," he says in his deep voice over the water.

"I'm..just in awe of you."

He lets out a laugh and says, "join me."

"Okay," I say with a smile as I quickly undress myself from my clothes and free my hair from the messy bun. I step into the shower with him as the hot water hits our bodies. "You could have warned me that I have hickeys on my neck before I went out in front of my dad."

"I thought it was amusing," he says with a smile as I find it hard to keep my eyes off of his hard firm body. He wraps his arms around my waist "and it's not like I don't have any on me."

"I'm sorry things got really out of control last night. I hate hickeys."

"Me too but there's a first time for everything right?" he asks with a smile as his blue-grey eyes look down into my green eyes.

"Yeah," I say with a smile. "Why do you have to be so sexy, standing underneath this water and all. You look too gorgeous for words."

He lets out a laugh as he pulls me closer to him, and presses my naked body up against his. My nipples harden in appreciation and I have the desire to make love to him in the shower. "There's nothing hotter to me than a woman soaking wet, standing under the water of a shower. You look beautiful," he says with a smile before his lips are on mine. I cup his face as he kisses me deeply underneath the cascading water. Our bodies wet and needing one another. He feels the passion too as he backs me up against the wall of the shower. I smile against his lips as he lifts my leg, holding in it in his arm while the other arm circles around my waist. He kisses me again as he enters me slowly as he starts to make love to me in the shower. Our bodies slick and wet from the water, he thrusts himself deep into making me moan against his lips. We continue to share our passionate deep kiss as we make love to each other. The passion rips through our bodies and we fall apart together, reaching our climax together as he fills me with his seed and my hot juices cover his thick erection. "I love you," he whispers in my ear as he fills me.

"I love you too," I say as I hold onto him tightly with my head against his firm chest. He pulls out of me and then cleans me up before I do the same to him. We get out of the shower together and walk to the master bedroom to get dressed for the day. "I don't want to do anything today," I say as I go through my bag looking for something to wear.

"You don't want to do anything today?" he asks as he pulls on a pair of grey briefs.

"Nothing," I say putting on my own black lace underwear. "I just want to eat in bed and talk, spend the day with you in bed."

"That sounds promising," he says with a smile as he puts on a pair of basketball shorts. "I like that idea."

"Me too," I say as I snap my matching black lace bra before throwing on a white tank top. "I just want to talk to you and enjoy my time with you before we go back out on the road. You know just a day for us to enjoy one another, get to know each other better," I say pulling on a pair of black knit shorts.

"I think we got to know each other pretty well last night," he says with a smile.

"I meant by talking," I say with a smile. "Being intimate is more than just making love to each other even though last night and this morning was amazing, being intimate is more than just making love. I want to know your dreams, I want to know your secrets. I want to know you and just listen to you talk today."

He smiles as he walks over to me, wrapping me up in his arms. "I'd like that very much," he says with a smile before he kisses my lips softly. "But first let me go make you some breakfast. Do you like eggs?"

"That's fine with me," I say with a smile as I play with the curls in his hair as it falls to the middle of his back. "You have such amazing hair. I love it."

"Thanks," he says with a smile. "It's one of my favorite things about my body."

"I can tell you my favorite thing," I say with a smile.

"Oh yeah?" he asks. "What's that?"

"Your heart," I say with a smile.

"My heart?" he asks.

"Yes your heart, what else did you think I was going to say?" I ask biting my lip.

"Well, I have to admit my mind was somewhere else so what do you think I thought you meant."

"Oh," I say. "I like that too but I like your heart just a little bit more," I say with a smile.

"I like your heart too," he says before he kisses me softly. "I should really go make us some breakfast before we end up in the bed together again.

"Good idea," I say with a smile. He lets me go before he makes his way out of the bedroom to make us some breakfast. I take the time to brush out my hair and braid it while he makes us some food. I have to admit after last night and this morning I have quite the appetite.

A few minutes later Roman comes up to the bedroom with two plates of food. He hands me a plate of turkey bacon, eggs and toast before he puts his plate down on the night stand as he goes to get us each a glass of orange juice. We sit in bed and eat breakfast together enjoying a nice conversation. "My dad is staying in Tampa for a while. He's doing some training for his match against Brock."

"How do you feel about that?" he asks.

"I'm okay with it," I say. "I love my dad but I'm scared you and I could run into him sometime out on the streets."

"Are you ashamed of me or something?" he asks.

"Of course not," I say, "I have so many pictures of us together on Instagram. I'm not ashamed of you. I love you."

"Then why is it taking you so long to tell your dad about us? You could have had us meet this morning but you didn't. Secrets aren't my thing, Willow. I know I agreed to wait till Summerslam was over but if your dad is staying in Tampa he should know before he finds out in a way we don't want him to. I understand you don't want a lot weighing on him but it's better for him to know about us sooner rather than later."

"Trust me I am not ashamed of you. I'm just not ready to tell him about us. He has some type of issue with me dating a wrestler. I wish he didn't but he does. I don't like keeping secrets either but Roman he's not ready to know."

"Well, I hope he doesn't find out from someone other than us," he says, "because I think that will be bad."

"Yes it would," I say. "I won't wait too much longer."

"I hope not," he says.

After we finish our breakfast Roman takes our plates and our cups downstairs to the kitchen. He comes back up to the bedroom and gets into bed next to me. He wraps me up in his arms and I take his hand into mine and intertwine our fingers so we can talk and get to know each other more. I want to know all about him. "What do you want to know, Baby Girl," he says in his sexy tone of voice.

"Everything," I say with a smile. "I want to know everything."

"Gotta narrow it down, Babe," he says with a smile before he kisses my neck softly.

"What's your biggest dream in life?" I ask.

"My biggest dream in life is to one day become the WWE Champion. I have come so close yet not close enough. I always fall short of winning it. I thought that Mania was going to be it this year but at the last minute the plans got changed and next thing I knew Seth was cashing in and he was winning. It was devastating. I'm going to keep working my ass off till I get that championship. That's my biggest dream but I also want to end up in the WWE Hall of Fame someday," he says. "That's the biggest honor a WWE superstar can have. I want to get my ring."

"I hear you," I say. "I want to be in the Hall of Fame also. And your time is coming to be the champion. Just wait and see it will happen hopefully soon."

"I know," he says, "what about you? What's your biggest dream?"

"You know how much I love my dad right? Well, I have idolized my own father since before I could walk. He has been my hero since day 1. I want to be just like him. I want to make him proud. I want to have a legacy like his. I want to leave my mark on the WWE. I want to do something like him. You know being undefeated at Wrestlemania for as long as he was. I think that would be awesome. That would be the greatest accomplishment of my career. My biggest dream is to leave a legacy on the WWE similar to my dad's. I know my dad is irreplaceable but I want to be as amazing as he is."

"That's a great dream to have," he says. "I know you can achieve anything you want to."

"Thanks," I say with a smile. "So what is your favorite childhood memory?"

"Oh, I have so many," he says, "but I have to say my favorite memory was probably going to Pensacola Beach every summer with my family. I loved hanging out with my cousins. We would spend days at the beach. I have such a big family anytime I was with them was a great memory. Family reunions were and have always been my favorite. What about you? What's your favorite childhood memory?"

"I have to say that my favorite childhood memory had anything to do with my dad. He was gone so much when I was younger that when he was home he did everything he could to make memories with us. I love him for that but my absolute favorite memory was going to Disneyworld with my dad. It was one of the best times I ever had. I love Disneyworld. I was probably about 6 when he took my brother and me. It was the best family vacation ever and then 3 years later," I say. "My parents got a divorce."

"That had to be tough," he says, "why did they get a divorce?"

"My mom was cheating on my dad with another man when he was out on the road and my mom got into some crazy stuff like drugs. My dad was making money too and she was money grubbing. She was selfish and was using him for his money even though they were together before he had all the money she still made bank on it but disrespected him by cheating with another man behind his back. My dad was devastated. They got a divorce and he moved on only to have another woman break his heart again."

"Wow," he says. "I'm sorry."

"Not your fault. My dad is happy now and I am glad he finally found a woman that loves him for him and someone that truly makes him happy. Michelle and my dad are good for each other. I love them together."

"That's good," he says. "Everyone deserves to be happy in their life. Happiness is important."

"Yes it is," I say with a smile. "You make me happy," I say.

"I hope that I do," he says with a smile as he kisses my lips softly. "You make me happy, Baby. If you could travel anywhere in the world that you haven't been to yet where would you go?"

"Japan," I say, "I would love to go to Japan. I'm fascinated by their culture and their country. I have always wanted to go there."

"Japan is one of my favorite places to visit," he says. "I have traveled the world and out of all the places I have gone Japan is one of my favorite places all the sushi."

"How did I know it was all about the food for you?" I ask.

"I guess because I am a big guy," he says with a smile. "And I love sushi."

"I know you do," I say with a smile. "Do you have any really cool scars?"

"That's an odd question," he says, "Are you into scars?"

"I'm into battle wounds," I say, "I don't like to call them scars. Life is a battle and sometimes you get hurt physically along the way and you get a wound that scars."

"I have a little scar on my stomach from when I had my hernia surgery last year. That would be my coolest scar. I wasn't one of those kids that needed to have stitches ever. I played rough as a kid too. I'm surprised. What about you? Do you have any cool scars?"

"Well, I have a couple. I have a scar on my forehead from when I fell out of a tree when I was little. I was always climbing trees and my dad told me to stop climbing the tree in the yard but I didn't listen to him. I wanted to see how high I could go. Well when I was climbing the tree one day my foot slipped and I fell out of the tree. I scraped up my legs, I busted my head open and broke my arm. I learned my lesson but the scar is pretty cool," I say. "See it?" I say pointing to it.

"Wow," he says. "That's a pretty cool scar and what's the other one you were talking about?"

"The scar I have from getting my appendix out when I was 13. I wanted to keep my appendix in a jar but they wouldn't let me. I am over it now but back then I was pretty upset about it."

"I bet," he says. "You're one of the coolest girls I have ever met. You are awesome."

"Thanks," I say with a smile. "You're pretty awesome yourself," I say before I kiss his lips softly. We spend the rest of the day talking about life and getting to know one another better. I could listen to him talk all day and I pretty much do. We take a couple breaks to make love to one another and to eat but we spend the rest of the day and most of the night talking to each other. I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend my day with Roman.

 ***A/N: What did you think about Willow not letting her dad meet Roman? Do you think she should have? What do you think about her saying she isn't ready? What did you think of her wanting to spend the day in bed with Roman all day and just talk? Do you agree with her there's a lot more to being intimate than having sex with someone? Do you think Willow is serious about Roman and Roman about her? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	11. Chapter 11

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

"There's my girl," I hear Roman say as I am sitting in the chair getting my hair and makeup done for RAW.

"Hey," I say with a smile as he greets me with a soft kiss before pulling away. "How was your day granting the wish?"

"It was amazing," he says. "I love granting wishes. The little girl was so happy to see me and so happy to meet me. I'm glad I was able to make her day. She's coming to the show tonight and will have front row seats."

"That's awesome," I say with a smile. "I want to grant wishes some day and visit children's hospitals. I want to do all that stuff."

"I'm sure you will, Babe," he says with a smile. "So what's on your agenda for tonight?"

"I have a promo on Nikki and Brie and then I have a match against Brie," I say, "what about you?"

"A match with Big Show."

"Again?" I ask.

"Yeah, again," he says. "So Dean asked to hang out after the show. What do you think? Do you want to go out and have a couple drinks or just go back to the hotel?"

"We can go out for a couple drinks," I say as I get my makeup done. "I would like that are you sure Dean is okay with me going along?"

"I told him you probably would," he says, "and he seemed okay with it."

"Ro, I know he doesn't like me so maybe I should just go back to the hotel and watch a movie while you have a guy's night with your best friend. I don't want to come between your friendship or I can go out with a couple of the girls after the show."

"No," he says, "I want you to come with us tonight. It will be fun."

"Yeah but I don't want Dean to feel like the third wheel. You go have fun with Dean I'll go to the hotel and watch a movie or something. Maybe I can get Renee to come hang out with me or something. I don't know. I don't want to ruin your guy's night."

"You wouldn't be ruining anything," he says, "come on."

"Only if Renee comes too then I'll go so that way you can hang out with Dean and I can hang out with her."

"All right, go talk to Renee and see then let me know," he says.

"Talk to Renee about what?" asks one of my good friends Renee Young.

"Hey, Nae Nae," I say with a smile.

"Willow," she says, "so what's up?"

"Roman and Dean are going out for a couple drinks tonight after the show. I don't want to go alone with them do you want to come with us?"

"Sure," she says. "I was just going to go back to the hotel and hang out but if you want to go out and have a couple drinks we can."

"All right," I say with a smile. "Roman, we're going to have drinks with you."

"I'll tell Dean I'm sure he will be thrilled." He says. "I'm going to go find Dean and let him know. I'll let you go and let you finish getting your makeup and hair done. I'll see you later."

"See you later," I say with a smile before he walks away to go find Dean as Renee stands in front of me.

"So how much longer are you two going to hide your relationship from everyone in the back?"

"Until my dad knows," I say, "I can't risk the wrong person finding out about it and telling him before we get the chance to. We are being pretty hush hush about it right now. I enjoy our privacy," I say. "My dad is going to freak."

"Right because he didn't want you involved with a wrestler right?"

"Right and he stands strong on it."

"Why though? What does he have against you dating a wrestler?"

"He thinks it could ruin my career," I say, "I don't know. He thinks that being with a wrestler will make people believe that I am only where I am because of my relationship and he said that a bad break up could turn bad backstage. I don't know but what I do know is I love Roman and I don't plan on breaking up with him. Unless something bad were to happen I don't see us breaking up. I enjoy being with him and spending time with him."

She smiles at me and says. "I know you two are so cute together though. He's older than you though isn't he?"

"By 5 ½ years," I say. "But age doesn't really matter to me. I've dated someone older than him before and that was a big mistake."

"You're right age doesn't matter. I'm just glad you two are happy together. You know what?"

"What?" I ask as they finish my makeup. "Am I done?"

"Yeah," she says before I get out of the chair.

"I kind of have a thing for Dean," says Renee as we start walking the hallway together.

"Really?" I ask.

"Really," she says, "he's cute in his own crazy way you know what I mean?"

"I guess," I say, "but he isn't my cup of tea."

"I know but he is so cute," she says.

"To each their own," I say with a smile as we make our way to catering. "I mean I guess I can see some cuteness in him but I don't think I would ever date him. I am more about guys like Roman. I like the big muscular type of guys and Roman is kind of thick. I like that. Don't get me wrong he's in shape but damn he is thick and I love it. And that hair, I love his hair. Oh and those beautiful full lips I love them but the thing I love most about him is that he makes me happy. He gives me a reason to want to wake up every day and I get so excited knowing I'm going to see him at the gym or when I wake up next to him in his arms. He's the sweetest guy I have ever met. I love him a lot. Have you ever loved someone so much that it actually hurt you? Not in a bad way but in a good way that you love someone so much that it hurts? I can't describe it but it's not a bad pain it's a good pain. I can't describe it. It's like I know he's the one."

"Now we're getting serious," she says, "the one?"

"Yeah," I say, "I just feel it."

"You two just started dating," she says.

"I know BUT when you know you know. I can't really say it another way but I know he is."

"You're head over heels for him," she says with a smile.

"I am," I say with a smile.

 **LATER THAT NIGHT:**

Roman, Dean, Renee and I end up going to a decent bar a few blocks away from the arena in Charleston, South Carolina. We order drinks and spend some time talking to each other. Roman and I sit cuddled up with each other to start the night off but shortly after a few drinks I find myself in his lap, my lips on his and his hands wandering my body as we make out in the noisy bar. "I have to use the bathroom," says Roman as he breaks the kiss.

"Now?" I ask.

"Yeah," he says, "do you want another drink?"

"I think I've had enough," I say. "I'm ready to go back to the hotel to spend some time with you alone," I say as I remove myself from his lap allowing him to stand up.

"Oh yeah?" he asks standing over me.

"Yeah," I say as he wraps my arms around his waist and I move my hands down to his perfect ass and squeeze one of his ass cheeks.

"You're going to be the Butt Cheek Bandit today?" he asks looking at me with his eyes glazed over from the alcohol and I can smell it on his breath.

"It's my butt to squeeze," I say with a smile.

"I love you," he says with a soft smile before he kisses my lips softly.

"I love you too," I say with a smile before he makes his way to the bathroom.

I take a seat back down on the bench in the VIP area as Dean moves over to me. "Hey," he says.

"Hey," I say. "Did I do something to make you hate me?" I ask.

"I don't hate you," he says, "I don't trust you," he says.

"Why don't you trust me? I have never given you a reason not to trust me."

"It's just I heard about your little rule about dating wrestlers remember when I asked you out when I first saw you in NXT?"

"I remember," I say, "I wasn't interested in you."

"And you told me you don't date wrestlers, you told Roman the same thing. You had the guy chasing after you. He was reading literature he doesn't care about to get you interested in him. You weren't taking the bait then all of a sudden you decide that you want to date a wrestler and you want to give him a chance? What made you change your mind so quickly?"

"Because Roman went through a lot of effort to get me to date him. It was sweet, it proved to me that he really wanted me."

"I'm not buying it, Willow. What's the real reason you agreed to go on a date with Roman?"

"I like him that's the real reason."

"But you told me you don't date wrestlers when I wanted to take you out," he says.

"Because I wasn't interested in you, no offense but you're not really my type of guy. Roman is my type of guy."

"Then why make him jump through hoops to get a date," he says.

"I wasn't doing that, I swear. I liked him from the moment I saw him. My feelings for him scared me. I never felt that strongly for someone. I have never been this attracted to someone as I am to Roman."

"Roman is my best friend. He has been through a lot in the last couple years. The last thing I want to see is for him to get hurt again. If you hurt him, Willow," he starts to say before I interrupt him.

"I'm not going to hurt him. I love him. Why would I hurt him?"

"I don't know but I just feel like you're up to something?"

"The only thing I am up to," I say, "is loving your best friend and falling more in love with him every day."

"Are you sure it isn't to boost your own career?"

"Why the hell would I need Roman to boost my own career? My father is the Undertaker. If I wanted to boost my career I would use his legacy to do it but I have NEVER used my father to boost my career. I busted my ass since I was 16 years old just like you did to train to do something that I love just like you did, Dean. I didn't just get my shot in WWE. I had to work for it. I didn't get here because Undertaker is my dad, I got here because I worked my ass off. Don't EVER say I am using people to boost my career and discredit me for busting my ass. I love Roman why is that so hard for you to believe? You're butt hurt over the fact it's not you aren't you?"

"I never said that," he says.

"You don't have to," I say grabbing my purse. "I'm leaving."

"Bye," he says before taking a swig of his beer.

I storm away and push my way through a crowd of people before I run into a strong firm chest that I am so familiar with. "Willow," says Roman in his deep voice as he stops me from stumbling back. "What's wrong?"

"I'm ready to go," I say, "Can we please go?"

"Did something happen to make you want to leave?"

"I told you that Dean doesn't like me, Can we please go now?"

"Sure," he says. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be better when we get out of here," I say as he takes my hand into his and leads me out of the bar. I feel bad leaving Renee behind but I can't go back and deal with Dean. No one has ever disrespected me as much to say that I am using someone to boost my career. I know all about hard work and dedication. I didn't get here because of my last name. I got here because of my passion and dedication to this business. I took the same obstacles as everyone else.

The taxi ride back to the hotel is done in silence but I keep a hold of Roman's hand in mine as I look out the window. Roman pays the cabbie when we arrive at the hotel before we walk into the lobby and he leads me up to our hotel room. I change out of my jeans and halter shirt before throwing on one of Roman's T-shirts as he strips down into his briefs. "Do you think I would hurt you?" I ask him as we are lying in bed together as he holds me in his large arms stroking my leg softly.

"No I don't think you would hurt me," he says, "where did that come from?"

"Dean thinks I am going to hurt you. I would never hurt you," I say as I turn to face him and his arm wraps around me and his hand rests on the small of my back. "I love you too much to hurt you. I want you to know that."

"I know, Baby," he says. "I would never expect you to hurt me and I would never hurt you. I love you too much."

"Then Dean had the nerve to say I'm using you to boost my own career. I'm not doing that. I don't need anyone to help me get to the top. I can do that fine by myself."

"I'm sorry he said that to you. He's my best friend, Willow," he says, "he is just looking out for me. I don't think he meant to be that rude to you."

"It hurt me," I say. "First to question my loyalty to you and then to question my hard work to get in this business. I told you he hates me."

"I don't think he hates you," he says, " he just can't control his mouth."

"He should learn to."

"I'll talk to him if that will make you feel better," he says.

"No," I say, "don't bother. I'm a big girl I can handle it. I don't want to come between you and Dean."

"You aren't coming between us. He shouldn't talk to you like that. As my girlfriend he should respect you and be happy that I'm so happy. He should be happy that I am in love with you."

"It's fine," I say as I snuggle up against his large chest. "I love you so much, Baby, I love you so much it hurts sometimes."

"I love you too, Baby Girl," he says as I nuzzle into his neck taking in his scent as he rubs my back with his hand. "I can't ever get you off my mind I love you so much. When we're not together I'm thinking about finding ways to be with you. It kills me to be apart from you. I find reasons to call you so I can hear your beautiful voice and reasons to text you so that I can hear about your day. Every minute of every day you're on my mind. You're so fascinating. I love you so much it hurts, Willow. I love seeing your beautiful blue-green eyes when you look at me, I love to hear your laugh and I love your red curly hair. I love everything about you. You're nothing less than perfect to me. I love how your hand fits so perfectly into mine and how soft you feel in my arms," he says as I whimper into his neck. His words are so beautiful. "You're everything to me and every day I find myself loving you more than I did yesterday."

"Roman," I say. "That's beautiful."

"It's how I feel about my baby girl," he says as he rolls me over onto my back taking me by surprise. "And that's how I'm always going to feel," he says covering my body with his before he presses his full lips against mine and we share a deep passionate kiss. He pulls me up and removes his shirt from me before laying me back down on the bed and kissing me again. The passion ignites between us and we find ourselves exploring every inch of each other's bodies, caressing, kissing, nibbling every inch before we find ourselves making sweet passionate love to each other bringing each other to our highest points of passion as we climax together before we cuddle up in the bed, holding one another, softly kissing each other before we fall asleep holding one another after whispering our I love you's to one another.

 ***A/N: Are you surprised that Dean had asked Willow out before? Do you think he's jealous that she chose Roman and not him? What did you think of him confronting her? What did you think of Willow talking about how much she loves Roman? And what about Roman expressing his love to her? Is Roman right that Dean shouldn't have talked to her the way he did? What about him descreditig her hard work? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	12. Chapter 12

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

"And your winner and still WWE Divas Champion STORM!" announces Lillian after a draining match against Charlotte. We had some decent matches in NXT but tonight we tore down the house. The referee holds my hand up in victory as I hold the Divas championship up in the other hand as the crowd cheers. Charlotte comes up to me and gives me a hug after the match.

"Congratulations," she says in my ear. "We tore the house down."

"Yes we did. Thank-you," I say, "you're next. I love you."

"I love you too," she says before we break our hug and she helps to hold my arms up in the air in victory. I climb out of the ring before I make my way to the back. I stop by the front row to greet my family, hug my mom, hug Michelle and hug my little sisters. I high five fans as I make my way to the back as my music plays.

"That was an awesome match," says my dad as I reach the back and he wraps me up in a hug as I see Charlotte hugging her dad. The daughters of two legends just tore down the house at Summerslam following in their fathers' footsteps. Charlotte and I trained together in NXT and we made our main roster debut just months apart.

"Thanks, Daddy," I say as I hug him back and feel him kiss the top of my head. "Be careful when you go out there tonight," I say.

"I will, Scout. I've been training. I am ready for this whatever happens out there whether it's my last match or not I'm not holding back. I'm going to give it my all."

"I just want you to be careful," I say as I look into his green eyes. "Promise me you will be okay."

"I'm going to be okay," he says, "I promise."

"Thanks, Daddy," I say with a smile. "Now go kick some Lesnar ass."

"That was at the top of my list," he says with a smile before I kiss his cheek.

"I love you, Daddy and win or lose I will be proud of you no matter what."

"I love you too," he says, "and there is not win or lose, I'm going to win."

"I hope so," I say with a smile, "you deserve a win after Wrestlemania 30 when he took everything away from you."

"It was a streak," he says, "streaks are meant to be broken."

"And no one remembers the man that ends the streak but the man that held the streak. 21 consecutive wins at Wrestlemania, no one will ever be able to be that record."

"Maybe you will someday," he says with a smile.

"That would be nice but I'll never be the wrestler you are. I love you, have fun out there."

"I love you too," he says, "and great match, Scout."

"Thanks," I say before I kiss his cheek once more before I make my way to my locker room so that I can change into my regular clothes so that I can join Roman and other superstars and divas to watch my dad fight Brock Lesnar. I can't say that I'm not nervous because I'm really nervous. The last time these two had a match my dad ended up in the hospital and it took him months to recover. I don't want to see it happen again. My dad isn't getting any younger. He has given his body to this business for almost 25 years, he's had more injuries and has been banged up more times than I can count but he has given his all to this business. He will always be my hero whether he wins or he loses. I just want him to be safe in the ring so that if I do choose to have grandchildren someday he can play with them and he'll be around to see them grow up. I want him to be able to walk me down the aisle someday. I want him to be able to see me marry the man I love the most. I need him there.

After I take a quick shower I throw on a special made black and purple tie-dyed tank top that says Tombstone City on the front with my dad's symbol on it and established in 1990. On the back it says Calaway and has the number 13 on the back. My sisters and I decided to have special shirts made to support our father in his big match. I pull on a pair of denim shorts with holes in them before throwing my long hair up into a messy bun. I make my way to the room we usually watch matches in for RAW, Smackdown and pay per views. I walk into the room to see Roman is already in there. I didn't get to see him but a second after his match because then I had to make my way to the curtain to get ready for my own match. "You did amazing, Baby Girl," he says as he greets me with a soft kiss on the lips.

"Thanks, so did you," I say with a smile, "You and Dean both did a great job. I loved your match."

"Thanks," he says taking my hand into his as we make our way to the two chairs he has saved for us. "You pulled out some new stuff again."

"I know," I say, "I like to prove that I have a large selection of moves for my move set."

"But that flip you did I never expected that," he says.

"I've been watching Trish Stratus' old matches. I like to go back and watch old matches to see what all I can do. I did model most of my wrestling move set to match Trish's and my dad's. They are my two favorite wrestlers and they are my idols."

"That's pretty awesome," he says as we hear Brock's music hit and the crowd goes crazy. "Are you ready for this?"

"As ready as I'm ever going to be. I'm nervous for my dad."

"It's going to be okay. You know your dad is a legend," he says.

"I know but he's not as young as he used to be. I just don't want to see him get hurt again you know?"

"I know," he says as he wraps his arm around me as we sit to watch the match.

My dad's music cues after Brock gets his glory. My dad comes out to a very nice welcome. He slowly makes his way to the ring like he always does, giving me goosebumps. I could watch my dad make his entrance every day of my life and still get goosebumps from it. He just has that electricity about him. He makes his way up the steps and the lights go on as he climbs into the ring. Brock wastes no time before he is on my dad. "It's already off to a nasty start," I say to Roman as he takes my hand into his. The referee finally gains control of the two of them and the match finally starts after the bell rings. My dad and Brock battle it out and it quickly gets messy. I hold my breath as my dad gets his first suplex. It looks as if it knocks him out a little bit but as always my dad gets up and keeps fighting. Brock and my dad soon end up out at the announce table. Brock picks up my dad and F-5's him onto the table, his ribs hitting the edge of the table and I cringe. "Oh my God," I say as the table breaks and my dad lies motionless on top of it. "He could have broken ribs."

"That was nasty," says Roman. "Damn," he says as our fingers intertwine.

My dad starts to take suplex after suplex at the hands of Brock Lesnar after he breaks a 10 count by climbing into the ring. I didn't think he was going to make it but he surely did. My dad kicks out of everything he's hit with and Brock manages to do the same. My dad gets put into Brock's submission hold and it looks like my dad's arm could snap at any moment now. The referee watches my dad before he goes to the other side of Brock. He counts to one with Brock's shoulders just before the bell rings. "What the hell? Why is the bell ringing?" I ask Roman.

"I don't know," he says. "It was only a one count."

"What is going on?" I ask as do most of the people in the room. We are confused as Paul Heyman climbs into the ring, the referee looks just as confused as we do. Paul is yelling that my dad tapped out but no one saw it. He's saying the crowd saw it and the referee is saying he didn't see it as my dad lays in the ring. Paul holds Brock's hand up in victory as the ref argues with the time keeper telling him he didn't see my dad tap out and that the match isn't over. He's telling him that it's not his job. "I didn't see him tap."

"Neither did I," says Roman just as my dad hits Brock with a low blow before putting him in Hell's Gates. "Shit," he says.

"What are they doing out there? I'm so confused right now."

"Me too," says Roman as Brock gives my dad the middle finger as he slowly fades away before the bell rings again.

"I am really confused now," I say as my dad is hailed the victor of the match and his hand is raised in victory. He makes his way out of the ring and heads to the back as Paul Heyman walks over to the time keeper and rings the bell over and over again before grabbing the microphone. Paul gets on the microphone and starts talking about how my dad tapped out and that Brock is the actual winner of the match and hails him the victor. They show the footage from the other side and while it looks as if my dad is tapping the referee didn't see it so he can't really call it but it makes it look like my dad took a cheap victory and it makes me feel like they are destroying his legacy having him hit Brock with low-blows and tapping out but still winning the match. "So technically my dad DID tap out."

"But the referee didn't see it," says Roman. "Therefore the referee can't call it."

"Exactly but I still feel like they are destroying the legacy my dad has built by making him get a cheap victory. I don't think this is over," I say.

"Not yet," says Roman. "They'll have another match," he says.

"I know and I hate when they fight each other. This match was a nerve wrecking one for me. I can't imagine the next one when Brock is out for blood."

"I know," he says. "Want to go see your dad?" he asks.

"Yeah," I say as I stand up.

"Okay," he says. "I'll meet you later?"

"Yeah," I say. "I love you."

"I love you too," he says with a soft smile before we share a quick kiss.

I make my way to my dad hurrying through the backstage area. I catch up to him right behind the curtain to see him sitting down, catching his breath. He looks like he's been through hell. He is NOT the same man he used to be. I feel like his last match may be sooner than I ever thought or expected. "Daddy," I say as I walk up to him.

"Hey," he says as he is out of breath.

"Are you okay?" I ask as I sit down next to him.

"Yeah," he says with pain in his voice as he holds onto his ribs.

"Think they are broken?"

"Possibly," he says catching his breath.

"That was a good match, Daddy but what are they doing to you? It's like they are trying to kill your legacy. The old Undertaker would have never tapped out and the old Undertaker would never hit a low blow. What's going on?"

"I had to tap out and the referee didn't see it. I took the victory. If the referee can't see it he can't call it."

"I know but still, Daddy it's like the last 25 years will mean nothing to your legacy if you're winning matches like this. It was a great match, you kicked ass and I am so proud of you."

"Thanks, Scout," he says. "You should be the first to know."

"The first to know what?" I ask.

"Wrestlemania is going to be my last. We set the stage tonight for another match at Wrestlemania."

"You're retiring?" I ask.

"Yeah," he says as he takes a sip of water. "It's time, Scout."

"But why? You still got it. You heard those fans chanting that. You still got it, Dad."

"People like to think I still got it but really the last couple matches I have had in the last 15 months," he says, "I have learned that I don't still got it. I'm not a young gun anymore," he says. "I'm getting older and my body has been through so much in the last 25 years. I paved a legacy that I am proud of. I have given my life to this business for 25 years. I have sacrificed time with my kids and missed out on so many things to do this."

"The business is about sacrifice," I say. "I don't want to see you retire yet."

"I know, Scout but it's the best thing for me. It's going to be bittersweet but after Wrestlemania that's it."

"Daddy," I say with tears in my eyes. "I can't believe it's almost over."

"It's not over," he says wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "My life is just beginning for every end in life there is a new beginning. I get to watch Kaia grow up and spend more time with your sisters. Just because I am retiring from the ring doesn't mean I am finished with the business."

"Really?" I ask. "What are you going to do after you retire from the ring?"

"Well, in the next couple months we're moving to Tampa and I'm going to do some training at NXT," he says. "That's also part of the reason I have been spending so much time in Tampa."

"You're moving to Tampa?" I ask. "I thought you loved Houston?"

"I do love Houston but I have to be in Florida to work with NXT and I want to be closer to you. I know you're not moving back to Houston so I'll move closer to you."

"Dad," I say, "that's wonderful." I'm not sure how wonderful it will be. I have to tell my dad sometime that I am dating Roman. I don't know how it's going to go but with him moving to Tampa I don't have too much time to tell him. I promised after Summerslam but I can't tell him right now. Not when he's in this condition. "So you're really retiring?"

"Yes, Scout," he says. "I figure I have you to continue my legacy and then hopefully your children."

"Dad, I'm not having kids," I say.

"You're only 24," he says, "there's still plenty of time. Your career is just starting but when you get older you may change your mind. Kids are great."

"I like kids but I don't want any of my own so the legacy ends with me unless Gracie or Chasey follow in your footsteps too."

"I'm sure one of them will," he says, "I'm so proud of all my girls," he says, "and my son too."

"I know, Daddy and we're proud of you."

"Thank-you," he says before he kisses the top of my head. "I love you, Scout."

"I love you too," I say as he keeps his arm wrapped around me. "Daddy," I say.

"Yes, Scout?" he asks.

"What are you doing on Thursday? Are you going to be in Tampa?"

"I should be what's up?"

"I thought that maybe Thursday afternoon you, my boyfriend and I could have lunch together What do you say?"

"You want me to meet your boyfriend?" he asks.

"Yes, Dad, I love him so much and he's a really great guy. You'll like him just try to keep an open mind about him okay?"

"I'm sure I'll like him as long as he makes you happy and he treats you with the respect that you deserve."

"And he really does but keep that in mind."

"Why do you keep telling me to keep that in mind?" he asks. "Is there something else I should know?"

"Everything you need to know you will know on Thursday, okay?"

"Okay," he says. "I can't wait to meet this guy."

"He's pretty special to me so don't be too hard on him, Dad okay?"

"I won't I promise."

"Thanks," I say with a smile.

 **LATER THAT NIGHT:**

I walk into mine and Roman's hotel room after having pizza with my family after the show. I'm glad my dad is staying in a different hotel than we are or else it would be hard for Roman and I to hide our relationship this weekend. Roman is lying on the bed on his phone playing a game wearing nothing but basketball shorts. I take my flip flops off and make my way to the bed. I climb into bed next to him. "Did you have fun with your dad?" he asks as he puts his phone down.

"Yeah," I say with a smile as I cuddle up next to him. "He's going to retire after Wrestlemania."

"No shit," he says. "How do you feel about that?"

"I understand it but it's still going to be weird you know?"

"I know," he says, "but after tonight I think it's time he gives it up. He's had a great career."

"He really has," I say as I trace his chest with my finger. "He's moving to Tampa in a couple months."

"Really?" he asks.

"Yes because he's going to do some work at NXT and to do that he has to be in Florida. He also wants to be closer to me."

"Then I guess it's time that we tell him about us," says Roman as he strokes my arm with his soft fingertips.

"Glad you brought that up because we're going to have lunch with him on Thursday afternoon to tell him about us."

"Okay," he says with a smile. "No more secrets then?"

"No more secrets," I say.

"Good," he says, "it's time he found out about us. I'm crazy about you, Willow and I can't hide it anymore. I want you to move in with me."

"Move in with you?" I ask. "We've only been together for a couple months. You don't think that's too soon?"

"Why not? We practically already do live together. I mean we're on the road more than we're home. We travel together, we room together and when we're in Tampa you're either at my house or I'm at your apartment. Why not make it official?"

"Really?" I ask.

"Really," he says. "I want all the time I can get with you. You already have stuff at my house and I have stuff at yours. Like I said we practically already live together. We might as well make it official. My house is bigger and I live there all by myself except when my daughter is there. I could use the company besides I like waking up in the morning to see you in the kitchen wearing one of my t-shirts cooking me breakfast and I love waking up to you every day and falling asleep with you every night. Let's do this."

"Okay," I say with a smile. "I love you."

"I love you too," he says with a smile before he kisses my lips softly. "Think your dad is going to like me?" he asks.

"I hope," I say with a smile as he towers over me and I hold onto his shoulders as his brown eyes meet my blue-green eyes. "You took your contacts out," I say.

"Yeah," he says, "my eyes needed a break. Do you like my brown eyes?"

"I like everything about you, Baby," I say with a smile. "You're beautiful, one sexy beast if I must say."

"You're beautiful yourself and you're all mine," he says with a smile before lowering his body onto mine as he covers me. I free his hair from the bun as he kisses me deeply. "I love you, Baby Girl," he says against my lips.

"I love you too," I say with a smile before we share another deep kiss before one thing leads to another and we're making love to each other before falling asleep, holding onto each other. Every night in his arms makes me feel happy, I feel like I'm home, he's where I belong.

 ***A/N: What do you think about Taker telling Willow he is going to retire? Do you think Willow is going to handle it well? What about him moving to Tampa? What do you think of their relationship with one another? How do you think lunch is going to go when Taker meets Roman? Do you think he will keep an open mind? What do you think of Roman asking Willow to move in with him? Do you think it's too soon? Do you think Taker is going to like Roman? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	13. Chapter 13

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

"How do I look?" asks Roman as he comes into the kitchen of my apartment as I am making my dad, him and me some lunch. I decided it was better to have lunch at my apartment instead of going out to a public place. I know how much my dad hates being out in public for one and with all of us being in WWE I doubt we would get to eat in peace. Another reason is my dad could take this two ways he could be really happy that I found a guy that I am crazy about or he could be really upset that he's a wrestler. If he's upset I don't want a public scene. It's not good for any of our images in WWE. Having lunch in the privacy of my apartment is the better thing to do. I turn to look at Roman and he looks good, he looks REAL good. I almost want to strip him out of his clothes and take him in my kitchen. He is dressed in a pair of khaki shorts and a blue button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbow. It brings out the blue tint of his contacts, his hair is brushed back into a tight and neat low bun and he is freshly shaven. He's wearing a brand new pair of Nike sneakers and he smells of Axe Body Spray. I take in the sight of him as well as the scent of him. It weakens my knees as I am trying to cook chicken fajitas for lunch. I give him a smile and he says, "so should I take that I want to have sex right now look as a yes?"

I feel my face heat and I bite my lip. "Maybe," I say.

"Maybe?" he asks, "Maybe you want to have sex right now or maybe I look good?"

"Maybe both," I say with a smile.

"Don't make me misbehave before your dad gets here. I'm already fighting with myself not to take you on the kitchen table right now. That dress is hot," he says making me smile. I thank myself mentally for putting on a white strapless sundress. I know how much Roman loves to see me in white. I did it for him to make this easier for him.

"I like it when you misbehave, Baby," I say with a smile as he walks over to me as I turn off the stove. He wraps his arms around my waist as my arms wrap around his waist. I place my hand on his ass and squeeze one of his ass cheeks as he lets out a moan. "I don't mind misbehaving."

"I love when you misbehave too," he says with a smile before he kisses my lips softly, his tongue gliding along my lips before I part them granting him access to my mouth. He kisses me deeply as his tongue entwines with mine as his passion pours into my mouth. We're interrupted by the doorbell ringing. He reluctantly pulls away. "I guess this is it."

"Yeah," I say. "I don't know how this is going to go."

"Hopefully well," he says, "what if it doesn't though?"

"If it doesn't nothing is going to change between you and I. I'm still going to love you the same. Nothing he says or does is going to make him change my mind about you, okay, Baby?" I ask.

"Okay," he says before he kisses my lips quickly. "I'll get the food together a while and put them on the plate and set the table. You go talk to your dad. I want him to see how invested I am in this."

"Okay," I say with a smile. "I love you."

"I love you too," he says with a smile before I make my way to the front door to let my dad in. I'm glad he didn't use his key and just let himself in. He's starting to respect my privacy a little more now.

"Daddy," I say with a smile as I open the door.

"Scout," he says with a smile before embracing me in a hug. "How are you?"

"Good, you?" I ask.

"Good, it smells good in here, what's for lunch?"

"Chicken fajitas," I say, "one of your favorites."

"I love chicken fajitas, you get plenty of hot sauce?"

"You know it, Daddy" I say with a smile. "You know how much I love my hot sauce."

"You get that from me," he says with a proud smile. "There is never anything too hot for me."

"Me neither," I say with a smile.

"So is your boyfriend here or is he coming soon?"

"He's here. He's in the kitchen getting things together."

"You two living together now?" he asks as he looks at Roman's shoes lined up by the front door and his jacket hanging by the door.

"Not exactly, not yet soon though, I am probably going to be moving in with him in a couple weeks or so."

"Don't you think that's a little soon, you two have been dating what a month?"

"Two months," I say, "we practically already do live together. He is either here or I am at his house when I'm home."

"If that's what you want, what are you going to do about this apartment and Zahra?"

"I don't know," I say, "I haven't even talked to her about it yet."

"Well, I'm not going to pay the rent for this place if my daughter no longer lives here. You might want to tell her."

"I will," I say. "So are you ready to meet my boyfriend?"

"I've been ready," he says with a smile.

"Okay, but remember he is a really good guy. He treats me well. He treats me a lot better than Nathan did. He's a good guy. You'll like him. Trust me," I say, "just keep an open mind all right?"

"All right," he says as I lead him to the kitchen to see that Roman has set the table, placed three plates on the table each with chicken fajitas on them, he has sour cream and hot sauce on the table.

"Willow," says my dad as he stops short. "Who is this?" he asks.

"This is my boyfriend, Joe," I say. "Joe, this is my dad."

"Nice to meet you, Sir," he says extending his hand. Roman has met my dad many times before but he has never met him as my boyfriend. I join Roman at his side as my dad looks at him and his hand.

"You're Roman Reigns," he says with disappointment. "A wrestler," he says.

"Yes," says Roman putting his hand down and I take his hand into mine and wrap my free hand around his arm. "I'm a wrestler."

"Willow," says my dad. "Didn't we have an agreement?"

"I wouldn't say it was an agreement, it was more of you telling me not to date a wrestler."

"Exactly, I didn't think we needed to agree upon it. Dating a wrestler is bad for you, it's bad for your career. You're going to ruin your career before it even gets started."

"Dad, I'm not ruining my career," I say. "My relationship with Roman has NOTHING to do with my career. He's not a bad guy," I say. "Just give him a chance."

"Willow we had a deal didn't we?"

"No, Dad, we didn't have a deal. You told me not to date a wrestler. I never agreed to it. I was never interested in a wrestler until I met Joe."

"Do you know what people are going to say about you knowing that you're with Roman Reigns?" he asks.

"Probably the same thing they will say about you being my father. I don't care what people think of me. I don't care what anyone thinks of my relationship with Joe. I love him. I'm not going to break up with him because you think that he's going to destroy my career. I have learned privacy from you, Dad. It's not like we're going to broadcast it to the world that we're dating. The truth is if people find out about it I don't care what they think of me. I don't care at all. The only thing I care about is what I think of myself. Joe is not a bad guy."

"I didn't say he was. I just don't think it's a good idea," he says, "you disobeyed me, Willow."

"Disobeyed you? I am 24 years old almost 25 in a couple months. I'm an adult. I can make my own choices. If I thought Joe was a bad guy I wouldn't be wasting my time with him. He treats me like a queen and he supports my career. He understands my career and he treats me with so much respect. I love him. I love him a lot."

"You love him?" he asks.

"Sir," says Roman, "I would never do anything to hurt Willow. I love her. She is one of the best things to ever happen to me in my life. I would never hurt her. I would never jeopardize her career. I understand she has dreams and she has goals she's trying to reach and I support her 100%. I promise she is in good hands."

"In good hands?" he asks, "and what happens if Willow is in another town and you're in another? Then the ring rats start to gather around and you're feeling lonely? Then what?"

"I would never cheat on her," he says, "if that's what you're thinking. I'm not that kind of man. I have honor and respect for my woman. I would never break her heart by cheating on her. I would never do that to her."

"I don't know, I have lived this life. I know how lonely the road can get."

"But we are always in the same town," I say. "So I think that's an invalid point."

"Sometimes you two will get separated," he says, "I don't want my daughter involved with a wrestler. What about when you two have kids how are you going to handle that?"

"Well, no one is talking about kids," I say, "but I don't want any children so we don't have to worry about that."

"Things happen," he says, "I don't support this, Willow. You two need to break up."

"I'm not breaking up with him," I say, "Why should I break up with him because my daddy told me to? Dad, I am 24 years old. I make my own decisions, I am my own boss and this is MY life. I love you and respect you and everything you've done for me but I will not respect your wishes and break up with Joe. I love him. He is a good guy. He's one of a kind. I found the one," I say surprising myself. I didn't mean to let it come out but in the heat of the moment it just slipped. Roman's hand grips mine at my words. "You can't tell me what to do. I understand this isn't what you wanted for me, Dad but this is my life. Joe is a great guy and if you take the time to get to know him you would see that. He treats me like I am his queen. He loves me in a way I can't describe. You just need to give him a chance. Yes he is a wrestler but he is more than that, Daddy. He's a good guy that treats me well. Just give him a chance," I say.

"I don't support this," he says, "and I won't condone this relationship. You're setting yourself up to be hurt and setting yourself up to destroy your career. You need to be smarter about this, Willow. Until you break up with Joe or Roman, I can't talk to you."

"What?" I ask with tears burning my eyes, "you're trying to make me choose between my father and my boyfriend? How is that fair to me?"

"I can't stand by and watch you ruin your life for some wrestler."

"But I'm not ruining my life," I say, "he makes me happy. Don't you want me to be happy?"

"Yes but not with a wrestler," he says as I let go of Roman's hand.

"If this is how you're going to be," I say, "you can leave, Daddy. I'm not going to choose between you or my boyfriend. It's not fair to me. When you decide that you're ready to accept my life as it is and my choices then we can talk until then I don't want to talk to you. Get out," I say.

"Willow," he says.

"No, Dad" I say as I feel a lump in my throat forming. I never cry but I'm to the point I am ready to let the dams break. I hate my dad being upset with me but it's my life. I'm not going to let him dictate my happiness. There is nothing wrong with Roman. He should be happy I found someone that treats me so well compared to my ex-boyfriend Nathan that treated me like shit. "Just go," I say before I make my way to the bedroom leaving my dad and Roman alone in the kitchen. I suddenly lost my appetite. I throw myself down on the bed and start to cry into the pillow. I hear raised voices through my sobs and then I hear the door slam shut. I hear a soft knock on the bedroom door. "Who is it?" I ask.

"It's me, Babe," says Roman. "Can I come in?"

"Yes," I say through my tears.

The bedroom door opens and he walks in holding a box of tissues as he makes his way over to the bed. I sit up and as soon as he sits down next to me I wrap my arms around him and start to cry on his chest as he rubs my back softly. He kisses the top of my head as he comforts me. "Are you okay?" he asks.

"I just wanted him to be happy about us. I knew that he would be upset but I didn't' think he would try to make me choose between the two of you," I say as I look up at him with my crystal blue eyes. He takes a tissue and wipes my tears away. "I just want him to like you. He didn't even give you a chance. He just saw that you were a wrestler and that was it. He can be so stubborn sometimes."

"I see where you get it," he says jokingly and it makes me smile. "There's that beautiful smile," he says in his sexy voice. "Your dad is set in his ways. I understand it. He doesn't want to see his little girl get hurt. I know it's hard for you to understand but as a father of a little girl myself I don't want to see her get hurt. I won't hurt you, I would never hurt you but he thinks that I will. Maybe he is regretting something he has done I don't know but he feels that because I am a wrestler I'm a bad guy and he only wants the best for his little girl. It's what dads do. My daughter doesn't always agree with me or the decisions I make."

"Your daughter is 7," I say, "you should be making the decisions for her. I'm 24 my dad doesn't make my decisions."

"But you'll always be his little girl. I've seen you two together backstage. He loves you a lot, Willow. You are his pride and joy. His first instinct is to protect you, make sure you're happy and you have the best. He thinks I'm going to hurt you but I won't. I need to prove to him that I am a good guy and I will never hurt you but at the same time I see his point. He's only looking out for you. I know you're 24 almost 25 but his job since the day you were born was to protect you and to be your father. I didn't like him telling you to choose between us but I also didn't like you telling him to leave. You can't just push him out like that. He's your father. I know that you love him and he loves you. You two have a really close bond and I know that from everything you have said and from seeing you two. Let it blow over and I'm sure everything will be all right. You two just got caught up in the heat of the moment."

"I know but it upset me so much. He didn't even give you a chance."

"I'm sure when things calm down that you two can talk this out and then I'll prove to him I'm not some wrestler that's going to break your heart. I understand what he's talking about though. I have been on the road for a long time. I know all about ring rats and how lonely the road can get. I lived the life of sleeping with different women in different towns. I'm not proud of it but it was a lonely trip and going out with Dean always turned into some woman coming back to our hotel room. I did what I did and I'm not proud of it but that is life sometimes on the road. Would I do that now? Absolutely not and you know why?"

"Why?" I ask as he holds me in his arms as I climb into his lap.

"Because I love you, you're the only woman I want and need in my life. Whether we are 2 miles apart or 50,000 miles even if an ocean lies between us you will ALWAYS be the woman that I want and need in my life. I love you so much. Did you mean what you said to your dad?"

"What?" I ask.

"That you found the one?" he asks.

"Yes," I say before I bite my lip. "I did mean it."

"So you think I am the one?"

"It feels that way. I don't really know it's only 2 months in we'll see how things go after we move in together."

"I guess so," he says, "so are you hungry, there are chicken fajitas out there waiting to be eaten."

"Yeah," I say with a smile, "but you know I've kind of lost my appetite for food."

"Really?" he asks with a smile. "What did you have in mind?"

"I want to do some misbehaving," I say with a smile.

"Me too," he says with a smile before he kisses my lips softly but with a passionate need for me, for all of me. I love this man. I always wondered how you would know if you found the one and everyone kept telling me that I would just know, I now know what everyone was talking about; Roman is the one. I'm almost sure of it.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Taker's reacation to Willow dating Roman? Was it expected? What did you think of him making her choose between the two of them? Who seems to have wone even if she was against the idea? Are you surprised that she asked her dad to leave? Do you think she's right he needs to let her live? Would Roman ever hurt Willow? And what did you think of Roman understanding where Taker was coming from? What about Willow saying Roman is the one? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	14. Chapter 14

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter they were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

"So how is everything with you and Roman?" asks Zahra as we are sitting in the diner eating lunch together before we go back to our apartment. "You two seem to be spending a lot of time together."

"Just as much as you and Seth spend together," I say, "but everything with Roman and me is good. We told my dad a couple days ago."

"How did that go?" she asks.

"Not very well, he wanted me to choose between him and Roman. I thought it was childish. He wasn't happy about it to say the least. He didn't even give Roman a chance."

"Why? I don't understand that. Roman is a really good guy. There are worse guys out there," she says, "you found one of the good ones. Why would he be so against Roman just because he's a wrestler?"

"He thinks Roman is going to hurt me," I say dipping a fry into my ketchup. "He thinks he's going to cheat on me. I told you my dad is damaged from all his unfaithful lovers. I'm sure my dad had a fling or two with some women on the road I'm not holding him on a pedestal but I don't think Roman would ever cheat on me."

"Roman has a really good family ethic and he's a really good guy, he's not going to cheat on you. He might wife you up but he's not going to cheat on you."

"Wife me up?" I ask.

"Yeah, don't act like you haven't thought about possibly marrying him someday. He's crazy about you. He went through a lot of trouble just to get a date with you."

"I know," I say with a smile. "Honestly, I haven't thought about marriage. I'm not one of those people that think about the future. I like to live in the here and now. I like to let life happen the way that it should. I don't like to rush it or miss any parts of life making plans," I say, "You know if you spend so much time making plans for your future you never get to enjoy the present. Life is about living every day to its fullest which I do. I don't want to die wondering what could have been and what I could have done, I want to die knowing that I lived my life the best that I could. Life is going to happen for everyone there is no need to sit and make plans."

"Wow," she says, "that was deep."

"I know, I should be a poet," I say with a smile. "How are things with you and Seth? I saw some of the controversy going on," I say.

"Don't even get me started," she says, "I didn't know my nudes were going to get leaked to the world and I didn't know that Seth's fiancée or ex-fiancee was going to post his nude pics to the world. That was crazy."

"I told you keeping secrets isn't good. She found out in the worst way possible. Imagine sitting on Twitter and seeing a naked girl pop up on your fiancee's page. I don't think she was very happy. I can't say that I blame her. I probably would do the same thing if it happened to me. I told you it's not a good idea to cheat but you insisted on cheating with Seth and sneaking around behind his fiancee's back."

"I guess," she says letting out a deep breath. "He asked for a little bit of distance for now. He's trying to fix things with her."

"Wow that's an asshole move," I say. "He wasn't worried about fixing things with her while he was sleeping with you. I hope you don't take him back when things don't work out with her."

"You don't think things are going to work out with them?" she asks with hope.

"Probably not, his fiancée is hardcore and besides she's too good for him and far too good to be made a fool out of. He doesn't deserve her."

"You're harsh."

"No, I'm just honest," I say. "And that's just me."

"Okay," she says. "At least you're honest."

"I try to be," I say. "And now WWE is telling everyone in the company to delete any controversial pictures from our phones in case we get hacked like Seth did. I don't have any controversial pictures on my phone so I'm not worried about it. The most they are going to get from my phone are pictures of Roman and me hanging out or pictures of my family nothing bad or anything to generate some craziness."

"You and Roman don't sext each other?" she asks.

"Yes," I say, "but we always delete the pictures because neither of us wants to get hacked or have someone find those pictures besides I want to be the only woman to be seeing Roman's goods," I say with a smile. "They are for my eyes only."

"So I take it the sex is awesome then?" she asks.

"Maybe," I say with a smile. "Okay it's great."

"I know it has to be. I can hear you two into the morning hours when he's at the apartment. I keep asking myself how he can keep going and how you can keep going. Then just when I think you two are done it starts up again. You two are so loud."

"We're not loud the walls are just thin," I say biting my lip. "And I'm sorry you have to hear that. It's not like I haven't heard you and Seth before," I say.

"Point taken," she says with a smile. "Are you two using protection? You two are really active."

"I have the IUD inserted in me. I'm not getting pregnant for 5 years well 3 years now but as soon as this one is done I'm getting another one put in."

"Why the IUD and not the shot or the pill?" she asks.

"Because the IUD is good for 5 years and it just gets inserted and you don't have to deal with it till the 5 years is up. I don't trust myself taking a pill every day because with traveling I have to figure out time zones and stuff it's not worth the hassle and I have no time to get the shot. I like the IUD. It's in there and I'm good," I say.

"So no condoms or anything?"

"I hate condoms," I say, "do you?"

"No but I'm also on the pill," she says

"That's good," I say, "more power to you. I don't have the energy to figure out time zones so that I'm taking it at the same time every day. I have never had a pregnancy scare either."

"Neither have I," she says, "if I were to get pregnant I would cry. What would you do?"

"I would have a breakdown. I don't want any kids."

"Does Roman know that?"

"Yes," I say, "we have discussed that. I was honest with him from the beginning. I don't want kids. I love kids but I don't want any of my own. I'm focused on my career. He has a daughter and he has said she's it for him. I am okay with that."

"What if you did get pregnant then what?"

"I don't know but I do have to talk to you about something," I say changing the subject. I know that birth control isn't 100% but I never plan to get pregnant so I don't want to talk about what if it happens.

"What's up?"

"Well, Roman and I have been talking lately and we're moving in together," I say, "I'm going to be moving out of the apartment into his house."

"This soon?" she asks. "You two haven't been together that long," she says.

"But think about it," I say, "we travel together, when we're home he's either at the apartment or I'm at his house so we already technically do live together just not officially."

"That's not living together, that's staying at each other's places," she says, "are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yeah," I say, "I really want to move in with Roman. I love him and I love spending as much time with him as I can."

"That's a really big step," she says, "what if he has habits that annoy you or something and you realize that you don't really like him."

"I'll learn to deal with them. I'm sure I'll have habits that will annoy him also. You just learn to live with them. It will be a test of our love," I say.

"Okay," she says, "so what's happening to the apartment?"

"About that," I say, "My dad told me he will no longer pay the rent if I'm not living there so either you're going to need to step up, pay the rent, put your name on the lease or find a new place to live."

"So you're just going to leave me like that?"

"I'm not leaving you exactly," I say.

"You're going to live with your boyfriend, call it what you want, Willow but you're leaving me."

"I'm not leaving you. I'm just going to live with my boyfriend."

"And leaving me behind so I have to move?"

"Unless you want to start paying the rent and utilities," I say. "My dad isn't going to be paying the rent if I am not living there anymore. He already said that and I don't blame him. He doesn't need to pay an expense that doesn't benefit any of us."

"When did you decide to move in with Roman?"

"A week or so ago," I say.

"And you're just now telling me? Willow, I thought we were going to live together while we were training?"

"I'm not training anymore," I say, "and besides I want to be with my boyfriend. I want to be able to spend more time with him."

"You spend enough time with him. You two practically already do live together. He's always at the apartment or you're at his house. You two spend too much time together."

"No we don't and even if we do we enjoy each other's company. I love hanging out with Roman."

"So you're just going to leave the apartment and leave me to find a place to live by myself. Thanks, Willow."

"So you're upset with me?"

"Yeah," she says, "because you're pulling this out of the blue for me, telling me that you're moving in with Roman."

"There's no need to be upset with me for moving in with the man that I love. We weren't going to live together forever, Z. You're still going to be my best friend. It's not like it's going to change our friendship."

"It already has, you never have enough time for me."

"I travel over 5 days a week, Z. I only get a couple days home to do what I want to do. I can't help that I don't hang out with you as much as I used to and besides until the nude pic scandal you were too busy sleeping with Seth to give a shit about me or our friendship. Now that he went back to try to fix things with his fiancée now I matter again, Z I want to move in with Roman and that's what I'm going to do. I don't care if you like it or not. I know it's sudden but it's what's happening. I'm going to start packing up my stuff and start moving things to his house in the next week or so. We can still hang out and we can still have our girl talks on the phone but if you're going to act like this then maybe we shouldn't be friends," I say.

"Is that what you want?" she asks.

"It's not what I want but it's obviously what you want."

"I never said that, Willow, you're putting words into my mouth."

"But you're upset because I'm trying to be happy."

"I'm upset because it's like you've forgotten about me and our friendship."

"I have not, Z but you're pissing me off," I say, "because I'm just trying to do me and you're here talking about you. I don't like it."

"I'm worried about me?" she asks with a laugh. "Please, Willow it's ALWAYS about YOU. It's never about anyone else. You're selfish and you know what one day Roman is going to see that and you're going to lose him. It's always been about you. It was about you in training and it's about you now. You weren't even humble when you got called up to the main roster. You talked and bragged about it for weeks because you think you're so amazing. Humility isn't your strong point."

"And class isn't yours," I say, "you know what I think I'm done here. Have a good day and don't worry I'll have my stuff out of the apartment as soon as I can. I won't be home tonight so don't worry about me. I'll be at Roman's house."

"Of course you will," she says as I stand up "You are running from the truth like you always do. You're selfish, Willow. You've always been selfish. See how much Roman likes that when he sees your true colors."

"Whatever, Z," I say as I grab my purse to leave. "I'm not the one being selfish here."

"Sure you're not, Willow," she says before I leave to head to Roman's house. Zahra and I have fought before and made up. Hopefully we'll make up after this fight too but it feels different. A lot of things were said and a lot of feelings were stirred up. We'll see how it goes.

About 15 minutes later I pull into Roman's driveway and park my car. I make my way to the front door and ring the doorbell. I wait a minute or two before he opens the door. "I can't wait to see you too," he says with a smile on his face as he takes my hand leading me inside. "It's going to be great. We can go to the zoo or do whatever you want to do," he says as we walk to the kitchen where he gets us each out a beer. "All right, Sweetie, Daddy has to go. I will see you soon. Okay?" he says making me smile. "I love you too. Bye." He hangs up the phone with a smile and puts it down on the counter as I open my beer as he wraps me up in his arms. "That was my daughter, Alani," he says.

"I figured," I say with a smile before he kisses my lips softly.

"When we're in California this week I'm going to visit her. It's her last week before she goes back to school and I want to spend some time with her. I haven't seen her since June. I can't wait to see her. Would you like to hang out with us?"

"I don't know if that's a good idea does she know about me?"

"She knows a little bit about you. She knows I have a girlfriend named Willow. I'm sure she wants to meet you. You don't have to meet her if you're not ready but she is the other number 1 girl in my life so I would like to have you two meet and get to know each other," he says.

"All right," I say, "I hope that she likes me."

"I'm sure that she will. She's a really sweet girl. She can be a little hyper at times but she's a really sweet girl. She's my little princess," he says with a proud smile.

"You're so sweet when you talk about her," I say with a smile. "I'm sure you're a great dad."

"I try to be. I wish I could see her more but my job is what it is and I see her when I can and talk to her as much as possible. I love talking to her. You'll love her."

"I'm sure," I say with a smile. "I told Z today that I was moving out."

"And how did that go?" he asks.

"Not so well. She's upset with me. She told me I was selfish and everything is always about me. I think she's jealous that I have you and how everything is going so well with us. Seth left her."

"Was he even with her to begin with?" he asks leaning against the counter.

"He slept with her a lot," I say. "And I'm sure Z caught some feelings. You can't just be intimate with someone for so long and not develop feelings for them. It's inevitable. I think she truly likes Seth. And after this scandal with the naked pictures he told her he was going to try to fix things with his fiancée so he pretty much left her high and dry. I told her things probably wouldn't work out between them and she sounded hopeful that they wouldn't. I think she really likes him."

"She might but that whole situation is a mess. So do you think you two are going to work it out?"

"I don't know maybe. We have fought before and worked it out. This is probably no different," I say. "I don't want to lose one of my best friends but if she can't be happy for me then I'm going to need to."

"Have you talked to your dad lately?"

"Nope, I haven't heard from him. He's still upset with me."

"Have you tried to call him?"

"No," I say. "We both need our time to get over this argument too. It's just how we are."

"I see," he says, "so when we have a fight it's probably going to take a few days before we are back on track."

"Probably but that's if we have a fight."

"All couples fight at some point it's about getting through it that matters."

"I guess so," I say, "I just want to relax today and hang out."

"Me too," he says with a smile. "Want to watch movies and drink?"

"Sounds good to me," I say with a smile. "The perfect afternoon."

"I couldn't agree more," he says with a smile before he kisses my lips softly before we head to the living room where we spend the afternoon and most of the evening watching movies together and drink beer. I couldn't have asked for a better afternoon with him especially after my fight with my dad and Zahra. It's great to find comfort in this man.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Zahra's and Willow's conversation? Do you think Willow is selfish? Is Zahra jealous of what Willow and Roman have because Seth left her? Do you think Z and Willow will work this out? What did you think of Roman asking Willow to meet his daughter? Do you think Willow is nervous about it? How do you think that's going to go? Do you think they will like each other? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	15. Chapter 15

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much!***

 **UNDERTAKER:**

"Still not talking to Willow?" asks my wife Michelle as I check my cellphone to see if I have a text or a missed call from my daughter.

"No," I say, "I was hoping that she would have broken down and reached out to me but nothing," I say holding up my phone to show her there is nothing. I miss my daughter. This is the longest we have gone without talking to one another. It gets tougher every day. Willow and I were so close and now it seems like she's drifting away. I may have overreacted but she's my daughter and I love her. I don't want to see her get hurt. I was a Roman Reigns back in my prime. I know the lifestyle of a male wrestler and how easy it is to give into temptation no matter how much you say you love the woman you're with. I have broken some hearts as well as had my heart broken by a couple women.

"Maybe you should be the first one to reach out to her," she says sitting down next to me. "This is a long time that you two haven't spoken. Maybe she's waiting for you to reach out to her."

"She kicked me out of her apartment," I say, "I think it's her that needs to reach out to me. I miss her though. I just can't believe she's in a relationship with Roman Reigns."

"I suspected as much," she says.

"You knew?"

"I didn't know I just suspected. Willow has been posting pictures of her and Roman on Instagram for the last couple months. I was starting to wonder why they were hanging out so much but now it makes sense and then there was that one picture."

"What one picture?" I ask.

"It's nothing," she says.

"It's something," I say, "what is it?"

"He makes her happy, Mark. You can tell that they love each other."

"What picture, Michelle?"

"It was just a picture of them lying in bed together, covered up in the blankets and Roman was kissing her temple. It was nothing. I knew then they had something going on with one another."

"Not my baby girl," I say letting out a deep breath. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I know you, Mark, I knew you were going to fly off the handle. You want to control her life and want her to do the things you wish of her but you can't do that. She's 24 years old. She can make her own decisions. I know you're not happy about this relationship but did you at least give Roman a chance?"

"No," I say, "I just don't like the idea of this whole thing. He is a lot older than her and she's new to the business. I don't want her to be distracted by this man."

"A lot older than her? I believe you're a lot older than me but you always said age is nothing but a number. He isn't that much older than her maybe 5 years at the most but it's not a big deal. They make each other happy and you want Willow to be happy don't you?"

"That's all I ever wanted," I say, "that's all I have ever wished for. I want her be happy. I want her to enjoy life."

"And Roman makes her happy, let her be happy with him. You don't have to like it but you don't have to forbid her from dating the man that makes her happy. You're going to push her away if you haven't already."

"I didn't push her away," I say. "I'm just upset with her."

"Why? Because she made her own decision? One that you're not happy with because you didn't get to choose it for her? Let her live her life. You can't always make her decisions for her. She's grown up, Mark, she's an adult. She's going to be 25 years old soon."

"She's always going to be my baby," I say.

"And that's fine but give her the chance to live her life the way she wants to do it. If you could see her and Roman together you would see how he looks at her and how she looks at him."

"But he's a wrestler," I say.

"And so is she. Wouldn't it be better for her to date someone she works with, that she can travel with and spend time with rather than date someone that she will only see a few days out of month? You know how it works, Mark. You have lived the life. You know how hard it is to keep a relationship together while one person is on the road all the time and the other one is at home. It's not easy at all. Willow dating a fellow wrestler is probably the best move for her. They will travel together, see each other all the time. This is the best thing for them I promise. It's not a bad thing."

"I don't know," I say, "what if he hurts her?"

"Do you honestly believe he's going to hurt her?"

"I don't know," I say. "I believe that she's making the wrong decision."

"And if it is the wrong decision she will learn her lesson just like she did with Nathan. Life is about learning, people make mistakes Mark. I know you made mistakes didn't you? And you learned from them," she says as our 3 year old daughter comes into the kitchen. "Willow needs to make her own mistakes and learn from them. You never know maybe he won't hurt her at all maybe they'll get married someday and be very happy together."

"Daddy!" says Kaia lifting her arms up to me to hold her. "Hold me."

"Maybe," I say as I scoop Kaia up into my arms. "Hey, Sweetie," I say as I kiss her cheek softly.

"Hi, Daddy," she says looking up at me with her bright blue eye and her smile. She reminds me of Willow so much when she was little. She has her spunky personality and she has her determination and strong-willed personality. She is as sweet as Willow was but she is a free spirit just like her big sister. "We play outside?"

"In a couple minutes," I say with a smile as Michelle pulls out her phone. "What are you doing?" I ask holding Kaia.

"I want you to see how happy Willow and Roman are together," she says.

"Okay," I say before she shows me Willow's Instagram page. I smile as I see pictures upon pictures of her and Roman together. The way he looks at her I can't deny that he loves her and the way she looks at him is the same way her mama used to look at me. There are pictures of them in bed together, out on dates and just hanging out at the gym or on the road, pictures of them in a car together and then I scroll through them I find a picture of myself and Willow together from a month ago. I smile as I read the caption. _My number one guy! I love my daddy with all my heart. He has shaped me into the woman I am today and without him I don't know where I would be. He's my hero and my inspiration. If I can be half the entertainer he was I will be proud. I just want to make him proud like he has made me proud and continues to make me proud all these years. I love you, Daddy, forever and always you will always be the first man to hold my heart._ "That's sweet," I say point it out to Michelle.

"She loves you, Mark, and all she wants to do is make you happy and make you proud. You're her inspiration and her hero. Let her know that you're okay with this relationship she has with Roman and give the poor boy a chance. She's in love with him. I'm scared that if you don't give him the chance that you're going to lose her. Do you want to lose Willow?"

"No," I say, "I don't want to lose her. I'll talk to her and apologize to her."

"Good," she says, "I love how close you two are and I love your relationship. Don't let it be destroyed because you don't like who she's dating. Roman seems to be a good man to her at least give him a chance but if he does something to really hurt her then you can take care of him until then just give the man a chance he has your daughter's heart."

"I know," I say. "I don't like it but I'll give him a chance. She does look happy with him. She does seem really happy to be with him."

"She is," she says, "you should be happy for her. She is 24 years old you raised her to be the woman she is and you have nothing to worry about."

"I know but it's hard to let go."

"Letting go is hard but look you have another little girl that you don't have to let go of for a long time. And you still have Gracie and Chasey too. You did your part in Willow's life now it's time to let her show to you that you did a good job and that she knows what she's doing. Don't worry about her as much she will be fine I promise," she says.

"I guess," I say letting out another deep breath. "I'll give her a call when she's back home to situate all of this stuff. I want us to be all right again. I miss her."

"I know you do," she says with a smile, "I'm sure she misses you too."

 **WILLOW's POINT OF VIEW:**

I'm sitting on Roman's lap as the music blares through the club in Las Vegas we're hanging out in after a house show. Roman's large arm is wrapped around my waist, his lips near my earlobe, his teeth nipping it softly. "That dress makes me want to take you home right now," he whispers into my ear making me weak.

"Then why don't you?" I whisper back into his as my hand slides down his body and to his jeans. I feel his erection forming inside his jeans.

"I don't want to leave Dean but damn it I need you so much," he says in a lustful voice. "I need you, Baby Girl," he says as I feel his hand wrap around my thigh. My black strapless, skin tight dress leaving very little to the imagination, his hand rubs my thigh softly as I stroke his erection through the denim of his jeans as he kisses my neck softly, nibbling it with his teeth. His hand slides up my thigh and underneath the short fabric of my dress. His large hand massaging my thigh firmly but gently.

"I'm not wearing any panties," I whisper into his ear as he lets out a soft growl. His hand slides further up my thigh and I feel his hand on my sex as another growl escapes his throat. "I told you," I say with a soft smile before I kiss his lips softly after looking into his glazed over eyes. He is drunk. I moan as I feel his finger run over the opening of my sex before he slides it inside of me. "Baby," I say.

"You're so wet," he says, "I can't wait till we get back to the hotel," he says. "Come with me," he says removing his hand from under my skirt. I stand up with him fixing my dressing so no one else in the club knows my secret but him. He takes my hand and guides me to the bathrooms.

The security guy watching over the bathrooms stops him as he is ready to walk us into the bathroom. "One person at a time," he says.

Roman digs into his pocket for his wallet. He pulls out a $100 and hands it to him. "You didn't see anything," he says.

The security guard takes the $100 bill, looks around and sticks it into his pocket. "Nothing," he says turning his head as Roman takes me into the bathroom with him. He shuts the door behind us and locks the door.

"What are you doing?" I ask as he looks under the stalls.

"Making sure we are alone," he says with a smile. There is lust, need and passion all over his face as he looks at me. His eyes full of need and want. "I'm going to fuck you in this bathroom. It's going to be quick but I can't wait till we get back to the hotel."

"Oooh," I say as I feel my knees weaken beneath me. There was something hot in the way he said he was going to fuck me in the bathroom. It wouldn't be my first choice but I'll take what I can get as long as it is with him. "That's hot and dirty, I like it," I say with a smile.

"Nothing wrong with being dirty sometimes," he says before he has me backed up against the wall, his lips on mine, his tongue in my mouth as he kisses me deep. All the need and want pouring into his deep kiss, his hands roaming my body as I free his bun freeing his beautiful thick hair. I run my hands through his hair, my nails digging into his scalp as he kisses me deep. His lips part from mine and find their way onto my neck, kissing it softly, his soft nibbles on my neck making me moan out in pleasure. "I want you," he says. He unbuttons the top of his jeans and pulls them down. I reach down and rub his erection through his briefs before he pushes my hand away. He pulls his briefs down freeing his large and thick erection. He hikes my skirt up to my waist, lifts my leg, pulling me toward him as he thrusts himself deep inside of me. I gasp from his sudden entrance. "Oh fuck," he says as he starts to move. His movements fast and hard, he slams into me roughly, filling me with his cock. Our moans and groans fill the bathroom, his head buried into my neck, his arm around my waist holding me up. My arms wrapped around his neck, my nails digging into the fabric of his t-shirt as he fucks me senseless in the bathroom of a Vegas night club. His grunts and groans of pleasure mumbled into my neck, the sweat pouring from him mixes with the sweat pouring from my neck. His movements getting faster and rougher as he thrusts into me. I can't control myself anymore as he hits every sensitive spot of my sex, my nails digging deeper into his shirt as I reach my climax, releasing my hot juices all over his cock with a scream of pleasure. His movements continue, he goes deeper, I feel him grow thicker, with one last thrust and an animalistic squeal he explodes deep inside of me, filling me with his seed. His powerful release too much to hold as some semen slides down my leg. We stay connected, holding onto one another catching our breath. He pulls out of me softly before he pulls his briefs up and his jeans. I pull my skirt down as he walks over to the sink to get a paper towel. He cleans between my legs, removing his semen from my inner thigh.

"That was," I say, "hot."

"It was amazing," he says, "I'm glad that you're on birth control because you would be pregnant by now if you weren't." He says as he fixes his hair. "It might be selfish of us to have so much sex and relying on your birth control but I can't resist you. I need you."

"We're good," I say fixing my hair. "I promise."

"Good," he says before he wraps me up in his arms. "You're so hot and beautiful. How did I get so lucky to have you as my woman?"

"I believe I am the lucky one," I say with a smile. "It is me that's lucky to have you." He smiles at me and kisses my lips softly, passionately before we reluctantly pull away. "We should get out there. I can't believe you paid the man $100 to have sex with me in a bathroom."

"Eh, bathrooms aren't usually my thing and you deserve more than a fuck in the bathroom but I needed you now. You deserve more but I needed it."

"Nothing wrong with being a little dirty sometimes," I say with a smile. "I love you."

"I love you too," he says with a smile before he kisses my lips once more before we walk out of the bathroom. The security guard gives Roman a knowing look and Roman gives him an I just fucked my girl good in the bathroom look. I roll my eyes.

"Where were you two?" asks Dean as we arrive back at the VIP booth.

"We were um," I say as I take my spot back onto Roman's lap.

"Busy," says Roman with a smile.

"You got it on in the bathroom didn't you?" asks Dean.

"For $100 but it was worth every penny," says Roman with a smile.

"Then I guess it's a good thing you won that bet," he says with a smile.

"Dean," says Roman.

"What bet?" I ask.

"Dean," says Roman again with warning as Dean goes to open his mouth.

"No," I say, "what bet, Dean?"

"It was just a bet I had with Roman," he says looking at him.

"You're keeping something from me, what is it? What was the bet?" I ask.

"It was a stupid bet," says Roman.

"It wasn't stupid. What was it?" I ask getting annoyed because I know they are both keeping a secret from me and I don't like it.

"It was stupid," says Dean before taking a swig of his beer. "We just had a bet to see how long it would take you to say yes to him for a date. It wasn't a big deal."

"Dean," says Roman.

"You made a bet on me?" I ask feeling my heart break. "You two made a bet about me?" I ask as I stand up.

"Willow," says Roman standing up with me. "It wasn't like that."

"You made a bet about me, Roman, what do you mean it wasn't like that?" I ask. "I'm going back to the hotel; ALONE," I say.

"Willow," he says trying to take my hand.

"Get off of me," I say. "Get off of me." I say before I storm away as I feel him chasing after me as I walk through the club. I don't know how I'm supposed to feel. I thought he loved me but it turns out I was just a bet.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Undertaker talking to Michelle about Willow? Do you agree Michelle that he needs to let Willow live her life? Are you glad that Taker is going to make amends with his daughter? What did you think of Roman and Willow in the club? What did you think of Dean opening his mouth about the bet? Do you think he did it on purpose? How do you think Willow is going to react when Roman finally catches up to her? Do you think they can fix this? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	16. Chapter 16

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much!**

"Willow," I say as I catch her by the arm outside the nightclub.

"Get off of me," she says, "Don't touch me. I'm going back to the hotel."

"Not alone you're not," I say, "just listen to me, please," I beg.

"There's not much more you can say, Roman," she says as she hails a cab after pulling out of my arm. "Everything that needed to be said was said in the club," she says opening the door.

"But you didn't listen to me. You didn't give me a chance to explain. Just hear me out, please," I beg as she climbs into the back of the cab.

She goes to pull the door shut but I stop her from shutting it and climb into the back of the cab with her. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she asks, "get out."

"I'm not getting out," I say shutting the door as I see the cab driver look at me in the rearview mirror. "I told you you're not going back to the hotel alone. Not in this condition. You're drunk."

"I've been drunk before without you. I can handle myself, Roman. I don't need you to protect me. I don't need my dad to protect me. I don't need anyone to protect me. I can protect myself."

"Willow," I say, "please just listen to me."

"I don't want to hear anything you have to say," she says, "what Dean told me inside was it true? Did you have a bet?"

I take in a deep breath and let it out. "It's true," I say.

"That's all you need to say, get out," she says.

"No," I say.

"Are we going to go anywhere or not?" asks the cab driver.

"Not till he gets out of the car," she says.

"Sir, please get out of the cab. I don't have all night."

"I'm not going anywhere," I say pulling out a $100 bill and handing it to him. He smiles at me and puts it in his pocket. "Takes us to the Marriot."

"Will do," he says.

"How do you know this man isn't trying to rape me?" asks Willow as the cab driver pulls out into traffic. "It only takes a $100 to keep you quiet?" she protests.

"Willow, I don't think you minded when I paid the security guy $100 for our time in the bathroom."

"That was different, that was before I knew you were an asshole. Did you get that $100 bill from another bet with Dean? Was it to see if you could get laid in the bathroom or get laid at all? Is that what the bet was?"

"No, there was no bet except that one bet. I swear to you," I say, "I love you, Willow."

"Save it," she says. "I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear another word. Just don't talk to me if you insist on coming back to the hotel with me."

"You know we have to talk some time," I say, "we can't just let this go."

"Shut up," she says as she looks out the window. I know to just keep my mouth shut for now. I look out my window and take in the sights of the Las Vegas strip on our way back to the hotel. It's not going to be a good night. I could kill Dean for opening his mouth. He doesn't like Willow for whatever reason and because of his dislike for her he didn't care if he hurt me or her in the process of trying to break us up. He might have succeeded. Willow broke down and finally dated a wrestler, finally gave one a chance and this is what she gets. I should have told her about the bet at the beginning because now I'm in deep shit because I chose not to tell her and she heard it from someone else. Dean did it on purpose because he's either jealous of what I have or because he doesn't like Willow. I'm not sure which but I'm pissed with him. I will deal with him later after I fix what's going on with Willow and me.

The rest of the cab ride is done in silence. When we reach the hotel I pay the cab driver the fare as Willow gets out of the car slamming the door behind her. I apologize to the cab driver before I get out and shut the door. Willow runs into the lobby of the hotel and hurries to the elevator. I catch up to her just as the elevator doors open and climb onto the elevator with her. She lets out a groan as I stand next to her on the elevator but refuses to look at me or even talk to me. The elevator ride is done in silence as I can't take my eyes off of her. I have to admit she's pretty hot when she's upset but I have never seen her temper so I don't know how easy it is going to be for me to fix this. The elevator doors open as we reach our floor and she hurries off the elevator as I chase after her. She puts the key into our door and walks in nearly slamming the door in my face before I catch it with my hand. I walk in after her. "Willow, are you going to listen to me?" I ask her as she walks to the bed and pulls up her suitcase. She ignores me as she digs in her bag for something to wear. "Willow," I say.

"What, Roman, what do you want?" she asks throwing down a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. "Do you know how badly it hurts me knowing that you, the man I love placed a bet on me to go on a date with me? My heart feels like you ripped it from my chest and stomped it to a million tiny pieces. I thought that what we had was for real but really it was all a bet. That hurts, Roman."

"Look, Willow, let me explain," I say as she starts to change out of her dress.

"Joe," she says, "you made a bet about me. There's nothing more to explain to me. Was this whole thing a bet, you and me?"

"Willow, it's not fair that you're not allowing me the chance to talk to you and explain myself. I was honest and told you there was a bet but it's not even like that," I say as she throws on a black tank top and a pair of grey shorts. "Please, Baby Girl, just listen to me."

"Don't Baby Girl me," she says climbing into bed.

"Okay," I say, "are you going to at least give me a chance to explain myself or are you going to be stubborn and believe what you want to believe, believe whatever is going on in your head? I love you, Willow. I promise you that and you and me aren't just some bet, you and I are a lot more than some bet. It's not about the bet, it's about how I feel about you. Please give me the chance to explain myself to you."

"Fine," she says. I climb into bed next to her happy that she has given me the chance to explain myself. "I'm listening."

"Okay," I say, "Dean and I did have a bet about you. It wasn't a bet to see if I could get a date with you. It was a bet to see how long it would take you to say yes to me asking you out. It wasn't to see if I could get a date with you. It was to see how long it would take you to say yes. He didn't think you would say yes to me because I'm not your type and because I'm a wrestler. It wasn't a bet to see if I could date you. I wanted to date you regardless of the bet. Let's be honest, Willow, you weren't exactly welcoming to me. You played hard to get. I was determined to get you to say yes to me. The bet meant no harm. It was just Dean being an ass and making me feel like I didn't stand a chance with you."

"But you made a bet about me, Joe that hurts a lot. I know I may have played hard to get and didn't exactly give you the warm reception you wanted but you made a bet about how long it would take me to say yes. How am I supposed to feel about that? It makes me wonder what else have you made a bet about when it comes to me. Is this whole relationship just one big bet?"

"Willow, it's not even like that. It's not like that at all. I love you. This whole thing that we have; our relationship is as real as it's going to be. If I didn't love you and didn't want to be with you I wouldn't be. I'm sorry that I made a bet. It was wrong of me and I'm sorry. You're not the type of woman to make a bet on."

"You shouldn't make a bet on any woman," she says, "and the fact you made a bet on me makes me question everything about you. Is that why you tried so hard by reading Wuthering Heights and leaving me little love quotes from classic literature to get me to say yes? Is that why you worked so much harder to get a date with me?"

"Willow, I would have done that regardless. There is just something about you. The moment I first saw you in that gym I was attracted to you. I have been attracted to plenty of women but you were different. I was attracted to you in a different way. You're beautiful, you're intelligent and you are spunky. I love that about you. I wanted to be with you the moment I met you not in a sexual way but with you emotionally. I wanted to get to know you. I wanted to go out with you because I am attracted to you in a way I've never been before. The bet meant nothing to me. You meant more to me than that bet. It was just Dean and I being assholes. I can be an asshole sometimes. I'm sorry. I don't want to lose you over this. It was a mistake but just know the bet didn't make me try harder to get a date with you. I was willing to do whatever it took before the bet to get a date with you. I needed that date. I needed to be with you not because of some stupid bet because I was attracted to you. I was willing to do whatever it took."

"Joe, you promise that you didn't do what you did because of the bet?"

"I swear to you, Willow, I did what I did because I wanted to whether there was a bet or not I was going to read Wuthering Heights and leave you little love quotes. I wanted you to give me a chance. This entire relationship is real. If it wasn't real I wouldn't have asked you to move in with me and I wouldn't be asking you to meet my daughter this week. I'm sorry that I hurt you. I never want to hurt you. I'm sorry."

"It's just I have been hurt before," she says. "I've been hurt by someone I thought loved me but it turns out he didn't love me at all."

"Willow, I will never hurt you again. I'm kicking myself because I hurt you like this. I'm sorry. Do you forgive me?"

"I forgive you," she says giving me a smile. "I'm sorry I over reacted like that but hearing that from Dean really hurt me. I put my guard back up and I'm sorry. I'm crazy about you, Joe. I know at first I wasn't letting you in but like I said before what I felt for you scared me. It made me question everything I ever believed. I had always had this thing against dating wrestlers and then you come along breaking your back to go out with me, reading Emily Bronte and leaving me some of the most beautiful quotes and looking as sexy as ever; it made me question myself and my feelings for you. The way I felt about you and the way I feel about you I have never felt about anyone in my life. You're different, Joe. I love you," she says cuddling up to me and I feel my body relax from the tenseness that I feel. Just feeling her arms wrapped around me makes me feel better. I was scared I was going to lose her.

"I love you too," I say wrapping her up in my arms feeling the warmth of her skin and taking in the scent of her lavender shampoo and the smell of her perfume. It's my favorite smell. I stroke her soft skin as she starts to talk to me.

"My ex-boyfriend," she says, "he hurt me so much. I don't ever want to be hurt like that again."

"How did he hurt you?" I ask.

"He made me feel like I was the most special women in the world and treated me like I was everything to him then he cheated on me. We had talked about so many things. We talked about marriage and possibly having kids. We talked about a future together and then I found out he was with another girl and that he was only with me for my dad's money and for my money. He wanted to make a name for himself. He thought he could do that dating the Undertaker's daughter I don't know. He wanted to be famous. It broke my heart all the promises he made me and all the sweet words he said that he didn't mean. It tore me down. I didn't think I would ever be able to love again and then I met you. Then you made me question everything. You shook up my entire life. You didn't enter my life peacefully. The moment I met you everything changed. I have never felt like that about anyone. It was like we were meant to be the moment that you entered my life."

"I thought I was the only one that felt like that. I'm sorry that your ex hurt you so badly. I will never hurt you like that. I will never hurt you, Willow. Just trust me with your heart and know that I plan to do all good things to it and nothing bad, nothing to make you cry, nothing to make you hurt. The bet was a mistake and I'm sorry but after that I'm not going to do anything to your heart to make you hurt or make you cry. The only crying I want to make you do is the happy tears. I want you to cry because you're happy with something I did not because I hurt you. I just want to make you happy. I love you, Willow. The moment I met you I felt the exact same way you did. You didn't enter into my life peacefully, you made me question myself, my feelings for you and you shook up my entire life and yet I feel like it was all meant to be."

"Maybe we're meant to be," she says with a soft smile. "Do you believe in soulmates?"

"Soulmates?" I ask. "Of course I believe in soulmates. I believe everyone has a soulmate in life. Everyone has that one person out there that they are meant to be with, meant to love and meant to spend the rest of their life with. I believe that you don't look for your soulmate, you meet your soulmate because you have been living in each other for so long," I say.

"That was beautiful," she says, "Really beautiful."

"I think I found my soulmate," I say with a soft smile as I look down into her bright green eyes.

"You did?" she asks.

"I'm looking at her," I say with a smile.

"You know what they say about soulmates," she says holding me tighter as I kiss her forehead with my full and soft lips making her smile. "A soulmate isn't someone that comes into your life peacefully. A soulmate is someone that comes to make you question things, change your reality and somebody that marks a before and after in your life. It's not the person everyone idealized but an ordinary person that revolutionizes your world in a second. You did that to me," she says. "You came into my life, shook things up, made me question things, changed my entire reality. You changed everything the moment you stepped into my life, my beliefs, my dreams, my hopes and my entire world. Do you believe we're soulmates?"

"I believe that we were meant to be, meant to love each other and hopefully meant to spend the rest of our lives together. I believe that we have been living inside each other for so long that we both know the answer to that question," I say with a smile. "We're soulmates, Willow. There's no way to deny it. Everything we felt the moment we came into each other's lives is everything you should feel when you meet the person you have waited for your entire life. You made me realize why everything in past relationships went wrong and why they didn't work out because I was waiting for you, my soul was waiting for you," I say with a smile before I kiss her lips softly.

"Just so you know," she says with a smile, "you didn't need to leave little love quotes you are a poet in your own way. That was beautiful. My soul was waiting for you too. I love you."

"I love you too," I say with a smile before I kiss her lips once more. A deep passionate kiss reminding me of how much we were meant to be together, the attraction between us physically and emotionally is one that I never felt before. She came into my life a powerful force and shook everything I had ever known up and made me question everything in my life. She changed my world. She's my hurricane, my perfect storm and the moment I met her everything else in my life made sense; my soul was waiting for her. This is it, she's the one that I was destined to be with, the one I want to grow old with and the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. Everyone always said you would know the one when you met them and she's the one, she's everything; my everything.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Willow being so stubborn when it came to listening to Roman? Are you glad she finally came around and listened to him? What do you think Roman is going to say to Dean now that he has fixed everything with Willow? Do you think that Willow and Roman are meant to be? Do you believe they are soulmates? Is Roman right, you don't look for your soulmate, you meet your soulmate because you have lived inside each other for so long? What do you think of Roman's feelings for Willow and hers for him? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	17. Chapter 17

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

"You okay?" I ask Willow as we are driving to pick up my daughter Alani from her mom's house. I can tell that she's nervous about meeting her. I can understand how nervous she is. I was just as nervous when I met her dad. Alani isn't nearly as threatening and scary as the Undertaker though but she is a tough cookie. I love my daughter but she can be a bit overwhelming at times I just hope Willow is up for that.

"Yeah," she says as I take her hand into mine. "I'm just a little nervous," she says.

"You have nothing to be nervous about," I say.

"What if she doesn't like me?" she asks.

"I'm sure she will like you. She knows you're coming with us today. She's looking forward to meeting you."

"I'm looking forward to meeting her too but what if she just doesn't like me. I have been around kids before but she's different. She's your daughter. I don't want to do anything wrong or have her dislike me."

"Alani will be fine," I say as I bring her hand to my mouth and kiss her knuckles. "Trust me she will be crazy about you. You two will get along great. I will tell you that she is my world. Even though I don't see her as much as I would like to she is my world. She's my number 1 girl as well as you are. I want you both to love each other and get along."

"Okay," she says with a smile as I continue driving to my ex's house to pick Alani up to take her out for the afternoon. I'm still not sure what we are doing. We had talked about going to the zoo but I don't think we're doing that anymore. I'll let Alani decide. I'm looking forward to this visit with her. It's been a couple months since I've seen her. I miss her a lot and I would love to see her more than a few times a year.

I pull into the driveway of my ex and park the car. "I'll be right back," I say before I kiss Willow's lips softly before I get out of the car. I make my way to the front door and ring the doorbell. I stand outside waiting for Vanessa to open the door for me.

"Joe," she says with a smile as she opens the door. "How are you?"

"I'm all right, how are you?" I ask.

"Good," she says looking at my car. "You brought your girlfriend?" she asks.

"Yes, I want her to meet Alani is that a problem?"

"No," she says. "As long as she knows her place there will be no problems," she says, "make sure she knows that she is NOT Alani's mom and she never will be. Remind her to stay behind the lines and not try to cross it."

"Vanessa, she's not going to replace you or try to take your place. She's cool. You don't have to worry about her. Is Alani ready?" I ask.

"Yes," she says before she calls for her. "What are you going to do anyway?"

"Not really sure. Whatever she would like to do," I say as I see Alani come running to the door.

I kneel down and scoop her up in my arms. "DADDY!" she says as she hugs me tightly as I hug her back. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," I say with a smile before I kiss her cheek. "Are you ready to spend the day together?"

"Yes," she says with a smile as I stand up and hold her in my arms. "Can we go roller skating?" she asks.

"Is that what you want to do?" I ask.

"Yeah," she says with a smile as she looks at me with her dark brown eyes. She looks like her mom with her dark eyes and the structure of her face. The only thing she inherited from me is my mouth. "Did Willow come with you, Daddy?" she asks.

"Yes, she's in the car," I say with a smile. "You're going to meet her."

"I can't wait!" she says with a smile. "Bye, Mommy."

"Bye, Alani," she says giving her a kiss on the cheek. "What time are you bringing her back?"

"Probably about 5 or 6 is that okay?"

"That's fine," she says. "Do you need my booster seat?"

"Yeah," I say.

"Okay," she says before we walk to her car to get Alani's booster seat. She hands it to me and says goodbye to us one more time before she goes in to the house. I put the seat into the car before Alani climbs into the back seat and sits down in it. I help her with her seatbelt before I shut the door before getting into the driver's seat.

"Hi," says Alani, "I'm Alani."

"Hi," says Willow with a smile as she looks back at her. "I'm Willow."

"You're very pretty," she says with a smile

"Thank-you, so are you," she says making me smile as I back out of the driveway. "So what's on the agenda today?" asks Willow.

"Rollerskating," says Alani. "Do you like roller skating?"

"I used to love it when I was a little girl," she says. "I used to go all the time. Do you like roller skating?"

"Yeah but I'm not really good at it. I fall down a lot but it's fun," she says. "Daddy, can you put Frozen on?"

"I don't have it with me, that's back in Florida. How about we just listen to the radio?"

"Okay," she says as I drive us to a roller skating rink. I haven't gone roller skating for years. I'm not sure I should be going roller skating in case I hurt myself but I don't want to let my daughter down.

When we arrive at the skating rink I pay to rent us each a pair of skates before I sit down with Alani and Willow. I help Alani put on her roller skates as Willow puts hers on before I do my own. "You two ready?" I ask standing up.

"Ready," says Willow as she stands up. "Alani, are you ready?"

"Yeah," she says with a big smile before Willow and I help her up off the bench. We hold her hands as we skate with her to the rink. She nervously puts one skate onto the wooden floor of the rink before putting the other skate onto the floor of the rink. She nervously starts to skate as we skate with her. She falls and we fall a few times but each time we get up and continue skating to the music they are playing. We play a couple games together and spend the afternoon skating together. "This is fun," says Alani through her giggles as she skates. "Let me try by myself," she says.

"Okay," I say as we let her hands go to let her skate by herself. She takes off and skates a few feet ahead of us. "Good job!" I holler out over the music. "Look at her go," I say to Willow as I take her hand into mine as we skate behind her. "I didn't know you were such a champion skater."

"I'm not," she says with a smile. "I just loved roller skating when I was a kid. I used to hang out at the skating rink every Saturday night with my friends. I just got really good at it."

"You're amazing at it," I say as I stumble and she catches me before I fall. "I'm not so much."

"Can't be good at everything, Pretty Boy," she says with a smile before she kisses my lips softly.

"DADDY!" yells Alani, "Look at me," she says taking my attention away from Willow. "I can skate backwards."

"Let me see," I say with a smile as she starts to skate backwards. "Good job," I say with a smile. "Give me 5," I say before she gives me 5. "You're going to be a roller skate champion too," I say making her smile before we continue skating together.

When we're finished with the skating rink Willow and I take Alani to the playground to play. Of course we both play with her. We play a game of tag, we chase her on the jungle gym, catch her as she goes down the slide. She has really taken to Willow. She even asked Willow to push her on the swing instead of me and to help her with the monkey bars. I'm happy that they are getting along so well. I love seeing Willow with Alani. She's in her element for sure. After the park we take Alani out to get some pizza before I have to take her home to her mom. The day went a lot faster than I wanted it to and I wish I could have more time with her but I can't. "How's school going?" I ask her as we're sitting at the table eating.

"Good," she says. "I love going to school. My teacher is really nice. "

"That's good," I say before taking a sip of my soda. "Your mom told me you've been doing a lot of reading."

"I have. I love to read," she says.

"Me too," says Willow. "I love to read too. What kind of books do you read? What's your favorite book?"

"I like Nancy Clancy. Those are my favorite books. I like to read Amelia Bedelia too."

"I loved Amelia Bedelia when I was a little girl. She was always ending up in wacky and crazy situations. It made me laugh over and over again. Who is Nancy Clancy?"

"She was Fancy Nancy but now she is a big girl."

"I see," says Willow with a smile. "Is reading your favorite subject in school?"

"Yes," says Alani. "It's my favorite then I like Science."

"Reading is my favorite subject too but I also really like English."

"Do you read books?" asks Alani as we continue to eat.

"I read a lot of books," she says making me smile. "Reading is one of the best things you can do. It takes you on a far away adventure and you can picture everything that's happening in the book. Reading is fun."

"I know," says Alani with a smile before taking a bite of her pizza.

"Your daddy told me that you do cheerleading and gymnastics?"

"I do," she says. "I love gymnastics."

"I loved it too when I was a little girl. I did gymnastics since I was 3 until I was 15. I loved it. Do you compete or do you just do it for fun?"

"I do it for fun but I want to compete," she says.

"My little sisters do gymnastics too. They love it. They don't compete though. I didn't compete either."

"Oh," she says. "Are you going to marry my daddy?" she asks.

I let out a nervous chuckle and say, "We didn't get that far yet. Maybe someday but maybe not, we'll see."

"Okay," she says.

"Alani," says Willow, "what do you like to do for fun?"

"I like to swim and play with my friends."

"That's cool," says Willow with a smile. She makes me relax as she changes the subject from marriage. I know Willow doesn't plan her future and she just lets life come to her so I don't know how comfortable she feels about the marriage talk. We have never really talked about getting married or anything. "I like to hang out with my friends too." I rub her back softly with my hand as we sit and eat.

"Well, Alani," I say. "It's almost time to get you back to your mom's house."

"I don't want to go back. Can I stay with you tonight?"

"I'm sorry," I say, "I wish that you could but Daddy is flying out to Tampa in the morning. Maybe next time okay?"

"Okay," she says sadly.

"Hey," I say, "what's the matter?"

"I miss you, Daddy," she says.

"I miss you too, Alani," I say, "I wish I could hang out with you more and see you more but you live in California, I live in Florida and I'm always on the road but you know what?"

"What?" she asks.

"I'm always with you no matter where I am. I am always with you, Alani."

"You are?" she asks as I move over to sit beside her.

"Yes," I say scooping her up into my lap. "You're always in my heart no matter where I am. I am always thinking about you and I always wear one of your ponytail holders on my wrist when I wrestle so that you're with me, no matter what town, what city, what arena or what country I am in you're always with me Lani. I know we aren't together much but when I get to spend time with you it my favorite part of life. I love you so much."

"I love you too," she says with a smile before I kiss her forehead.

 **LATER THAT NIGHT:**

"You're such a sweet dad," says Willow as we are cuddled up on the couch in our hotel room.

"Thanks," I say as I kiss the top of her head. "I love her a lot. She's one of the best things I have done in my entire life. I was scared when Vanessa told me she was pregnant with her. I didn't know what to do. I was just out of college and my football career wasn't going the way I wanted it to go. I was working some dead end job that I hated and then Vanessa told me the news of being pregnant. We took every precaution that we could. We were both extremely careful and then there was a mishap with her birth control and then she was pregnant. I was really scared. I didn't know how to be a dad. I didn't know how I was going to provide for my family when I wasn't making it far in the NFL. I gave it up and started wrestling. I had my dad train me so I could put food on the table for them and so that I could take care of my little girl. Then she came into the world and she was just perfect. She was everything I could have dreamed of. She's my princess and she knows it. There's nothing I wouldn't do for her and I love her with every beat of my heart."

"I can tell she's your entire world and she loves you so much," she says. "You're a great dad. I loved watching you two together today."

"I loved watching you with her. You two got along pretty well. You were really good with her."

"I have a few little sisters," she says as she rubs my chest with her hand. "I told you I like kids. I have nothing against kids. It's just in my career I don't want to have any of my own. I don't think I want to give up everything that I have worked for to be a mom."

"I understand that. It's hard to be on the road and be a parent."

"I know. I grew up with my dad gone all the time. He missed so much of my life when I was growing up because he was always traveling. It's not easy for the kid either. I don't think I could do that with my child. I don't know. I just don't want to have kids. I like Alani though. She's so cute and sweet. I enjoyed hanging out with her today."

"She enjoyed hanging out with you too," I say with a smile. "She told me that she likes you a lot. She had fun today."

"Aw, I'm glad," she says, "and I specifically loved her marriage question."

"I'm sorry about that," I say, "I didn't expect her to ask that."

"Neither did I but it's okay. It was cute. She's just curious. You don't have to apologize."

"I don't want to scare you away. I know me having a kid is scary enough because you don't want kids of your own but to have my daughter ask if you're going to marry me even though I know you don't want to get married is enough to scare you away. I don't want to lose you."

"Joe," she says sitting up so she's looking into my eyes with her blue-green eyes. "I'm not going anywhere. You're not going to scare me away and you're not going to lose me. I love you way too much to let you go."

"That's a relief," I say with a smile. "I love you, Willow."

"I love you too," she says before she kisses my lips softly. "So just so you know I'm not ruling marriage out of my life, I'm just letting life happen."

"So you're not opposed to marriage someday?"

"I'm not opposed to it anymore. I used to be but not anymore."

"Why not anymore?" I ask.

"Because I found my soulmate, I found my other half. You just know you know what I'm saying?"

"Are you saying I'm the one?" I ask as she moves herself onto my lap straddling me as she wraps her arms around my neck.

"That's for you to decide," she says with a smile and a wink.

"Playing games with me again, Willow?" I ask as I wrap my arms around her waist.

"Not playing games. I'm not the man in this relationship. If you want to be the one it's for you to decide not me," she says with a smile. "So why don't you want more kids? You obviously love Alani to death and you're a really good father. Why wouldn't you want more kids?"

"You heard her today about how much she misses me. I can't have more kids and be on the road. It's just not fair to them. I love my job but I have to make a lot of sacrifices when it comes to Alani. I don't want to have more kids because I don't want to miss out on their lives too. My schedule is too busy and too hectic for me to be able to be a father again. I love being a dad but one is good enough for me."

"Okay," she says with a smile. "So how long are you going to have this feud with the Wyatt family?"

"It should be ending at Night of Champions," I say. "Why?"

"I was just wondering," she says. "I just hate watching you get destroyed every week by that freak. It breaks my heart every time. I hope you and Dean pick a really good tag team partner."

"We'll find someone," I say. "But this feud is over after Night of Champions. I'm turning heel."

"You're making a heel turn?" she asks. "That's kind of hot."

"Thanks," I say with a smile, "and yeah, Vince told me that it's time for me to turn heel. I'm supposed to turn on Dean during the match and our tag team partner starting a feud between Dean and me. I'm looking forward to having a feud with him. We've never really fought each other before. It's going to be interesting that's for sure."

"Yes it will, I can't believe you're turning heel."

"It's what Vince wants and that's what Vince is going to get. I'm not exactly a fan favorite. Dean has a better fan base than I do so I was the obvious choice to turn. They haven't said much else about my new character after I make the heel turn. I'm looking forward to it."

"Me too," she says with a smile. "I want to be a heel someday but I don't know if I could pull it off."

"You're a big fan favorite it would be hard to turn you heel."

"I know but I want to try once someday," she says. "Did you talk to Dean yet about the bar the other night?"

"No but I'm going to talk to him this weekend. I needed a couple days to calm down from it all. Have you talked to your dad yet?"

"No," she says. "I will don't worry."

"I hope so. I'm a big family man. Family is really important to me. I know how much you love your dad and how much he loves you. You two need to work this out and talk to one another."

"I know," she says. "I miss him a lot."

"I'm sure that you do," I say. "Give him a phone call this week and get it straightened out. He only wants best for you."

"I know," she says before she leans down and whispers in my ear. "I've found the best." She kisses my neck softly and nibbles on it before I scoop her up and carry her to our bed where we make love to each other for the next couple hours before we cuddle up to watch a movie together before she falls asleep in my arms as I hold her listening to her soft breathing before I fall asleep keeping her in my arms.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Willow meeting Roman's daughter? Do you think it went well? Do you think she will have any problems with Vanessa? What did you think of Roman's relationship with his daughter? Why do you think Willow changed her mind about marriage? What do you think Roman is going to say to Dean when he talks to him? What about him telling Willow she needs to make things right with her dad? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	18. Chapter 18

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter they were greatly appreciated thank-you all so much***

"How are you feeling?" asks Roman as he walks into the bedroom we share together at his house holding a cup of something in his hand as he makes his way over to the bed I am sitting in.

"Like crap. I'm miserable," I say.

"Still sick?"

"Yeah," I say. "My throat hurts a lot. I feel miserable."

"You look really bad," he says, "I made you some lemon tea to help with your throat and to clear up your congestion."

"Thanks, Baby," I say with a smile as he hands me the tea cup. "I hope it helps. I have to be better by Friday before we go out on the road again."

"If you're not better," he says taking a seat next to me, "you're not going out on the road. You're going to rest like the doctor told you to do. I take it you're not going out to lunch with your dad today?"

"No, I can't eat anything so there's no point in going."

"I understand," he says as I take a sip of my tea. It feels so good hitting my tonsils and my chest as it makes its way down. I have tonsillitis and I have been put onto bedrest till it's gone and if it's not gone in a few days I have to stay home and not travel. "Are you feeling more comfortable here?" he asks. We moved in together about a week and a half ago.

"Yeah," I say before taking another sip of tea. "I'm starting to get more comfortable here. I never realized how big this place really is."

"Yeah, it's big," he says with a smile. "It takes some time to get used to but I'm sure you grew up in a big house in Houston with your dad."

"I did," I say, "but this is the first time I have lived in a house this size since before I went to college. It's definitely better than the apartment."

"What's happening with the apartment anyway?"

"I don't know. I just know my dad isn't paying the rent for it anymore and that's on Z."

"Oh," he says.

"What are you up to today?" I ask.

"Going out to lunch with Dean. I have a few things I need to discuss with him."

"You still haven't talked to him about Vegas yet?"

"No not yet but I plan to today. What he did was out of line."

"What you weren't going to tell me about the bet," I say reminding him before taking a sip of my tea. "You should have told me the moment we started dating before you told me that you loved me. You should have told me. I shouldn't have had to hear it from Dean. That hurt and finding out it was true hurt even more."

"I'm sorry," he says as he rubs my thigh softly with his large hand. "I should have told you the moment we started dating and I'm sorry that I didn't. You shouldn't have heard it from Dean. I should have told you and better yet I shouldn't have made a bet."

"You're right you shouldn't have but you did and it's over with now. I just don't like that I didn't hear it from you."

"I know, Baby," he says making me smile. "I love you."

"I love you too," I say as I reach out and touch his soft hair. He has it out of his usual ponytail and bun, it's just hanging down perfectly to the middle of his back. "Do you ever cut your hair?"

"Not recently. Sometimes I get a little trim but for now I'm letting it grow out. Do you want me to get a hair cut?"

"No, I like it," I say with a smile. "It's pretty sexy if you ask me and it's perfect. Have you ever had it braided before?"

"Braided as in how?" he asks.

"No particular way. I used to braid my dad's hair all the time. My friends always thought it was cool that my dad had long hair. I never really noticed because it was something I was always used to but when he cut it off it was really hard to adjust to and get used to looking at. It was different. I'm glad he's letting it grow back in now. Would you let me braid your hair?"

"If that's something you want to do," he says. "Have fun with it."

"Okay," I say with a smile as I put my tea down on the counter next to me before I start to play with his hair. "Don't ever cut this."

"I won't maybe a trim or two but I won't cut it. I'm happy that I still have hair at 30 years old."

"You talk like you're an old man," I say, "you're only 30."

"Only," he says, "but there are some greys in there."

"Shut up you don't have grey hair."

"I do, Baby. I hide it well though."

"Of course in this beautiful mane of hair," I say with a smile as I continue to braid it.

"What are you doing to me?"

"Just French braiding your hair," I say with a smile. "It gives me something to do other than sitting and watching TV. This is the most fun I have had in days," I say wrapping a ponytail holder onto the end of the braid. "So are you ready to become heel?"

"I guess I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be. It's happening whether I'm ready to or not."

"Yeah, I'm losing my title soon."

"You are?"

"Yeah, by Survivor Series," I say. "I guess I don't get to be the longest reigning Divas champion."

"You still have your whole career in front of you," he says, "you still have things to accomplish."

"I know," I say with a smile. "I just need to get back into the ring first."

"You will tonsillitis doesn't last that long. You should be good to go in the next couple days."

"I hope so. I'm missing out on workouts and stuff. I can't miss too many workouts."

"You're in great shape, Willow you don't have to worry about missing a couple days you'll be fine."

"My cardio is already going to be crap when I get better and my stamina is going to be bad too."

"I can help you with that stamina," he says with a smile.

"Shut up," I say pushing his shoulder. "You'll get my germs."

"I don't mind getting your germs," he says. "Besides, I can't get tonsillitis when I don't have any tonsils."

"You don't have tonsils?"

"Nope, I had them taken out when I was 7. I got strep throat and tonsillitis too many times they had to take them out."

"Oh wow. I never knew that."

"Now you do," he says with a smile. "You don't have to worry about me getting tonsillitis."

"At this point I wish I could get my tonsils out too. The doctor did say that the next time I catch tonsillitis that we'll discuss the possibility of having my tonsils removed. I hope that possibility becomes a reality this is the 3rd time in 6 months that I have had it."

"Yeah you're on your way to having them removed."

"I hope so," I say before he kisses my lips softly. "What was that for?"

"I love you," he says making me smile.

"I love you too," I say with a soft smile.

"I have to get ready to go out to lunch with Dean. You should get some rest. I'll be back soon."

"All right," I say. "I probably will take a little nap while you're gone. I hope you have fun with him."

"Dean is different, it's always fun with him," he says with a smile as he stands up from the bed. "Be prepared to give me your germs later," he says with a smile as he towers over me.

"I'll have to pass on that," I say, "It's that time of the month."

"Oh," he says, "we'll just have to postpone for a couple days."

"Yes, sounds good to me," I say with a smile before he kisses my nose and then my lips. I lay down in the bed and he covers me up with a blanket. He kisses my forehead before he leaves the room.

 **Roman's point of view:**

I walk into the Mexican restaurant to meet my friend Dean for lunch. I haven't really talked to him that much lately after everything that happened in Vegas. I think it's time to clear the air and finally talk. He's my best friend and I haven't gotten much time to hang out with him because most of my time has been spent with Willow. I love Willow but I need to get my guy time in too and get some time to hang out with the guys just like she needs time to get out and hang out with the girls. "Hey," I say as I meet Dean at the table as he is eating nachos.

"Hey," he says as I take a seat across from him. "How are you?"

"I'm living," he says before crunching into another nacho. "You?"

"Same," I say.

"How are you and Willow?" he asks.

"Pretty good no thanks to you," I say.

"What does that mean? What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means you didn't really help us out when you told her about the bet."

"You're still upset about that? That was forever ago," he says.

"Yeah I'm still upset about it. You shouldn't have opened your mouth."

"She wanted to know what we were talking about. I wasn't lying to her."

"You were causing trouble. What is it with you and Willow?"

"You wouldn't even understand," he says. "I don't like her and I think you could do better than her. She's nothing but trouble."

"How is she trouble, Dean? What has she done that has caused any type of trouble?"

"I just don't trust her. I have told you how I felt about her for months now and yet now you're living together. Don't you think this whole thing is going too fast? You two need to slow down."

"You don't need to worry about our relationship," I say. "What you need to worry about is making sure you keep your mouth shut."

"You didn't want her to know?"

"No, I preferred that she didn't but you thought otherwise. You have some type of grudge against her. Willow is a sweet girl. She's a little feisty but she's not a bad person. You should give her a chance."

"I have she didn't give me a chance."

"What does that mean?" I ask before the waiter comes to take our order.

"It means she didn't give me a chance," says Dean after we ordered. "She didn't date wrestlers, then you came along and everything was different. WHY was it YOU and not me?"

"Are you telling me that you asked her out before?"

"Roman, you can't deny the fact that your girlfriend is hot."

"She's not hot, she's beautiful."

"Same thing," he says.

"No it really isn't," I say, "but I'm not going to get into that. Are you jealous of what we have?"

"No, I just think Willow is trouble. There's a reason she's dating you and it isn't because of your looks or who you are there's something else."

"You're speculating," I say. "You just don't like her because she turned you down."

"You may be right or you may be wrong. I guess you'll find out about her soon enough."

"Is there something you know about her and you're not telling me?"

"I just don't trust her is all. She's up to something."

"You don't know that."

"We'll see," he says, "where is she right now?"

"She's sick with tonsillitis," I say.

"I'll bet," he says.

"She is her throat and tonsils are horrible. She looks horrible and sounds horrible. I left her to come to see you but if you're going to tear her down then maybe I'll go back home to her."

"I'm not tearing anyone down, Roman, you don't find it weird that all of a sudden you two are living together and that she started dating wrestlers when you came into the picture."

"Maybe it has NOTHING to do with the fact that I am a wrestler. Maybe it has more to do with the fact that we click. We just go together in some crazy way like we were always meant to be together. It's like she's the other part of my soul. She's my soulmate. When you are attracted someone and you feel this powerful connection everything in life changes, you change. It's what true love is. Your soulmate doesn't come into your life without changing things up. That's what happened here."

"So you're soulmates now?"

"Yes," I say, "I don't want to talk about this. I want to make sure we get rid of the tension between you and Willow when we're all together. You're my best friend and she's my girl. I want you two to get along."

"Bros before hos bro," he says.

"She isn't a ho," I say. "She's a classy girl. She's much more than that."

"Okay," he says. "What do you want me to do? Apologize for telling her about the bet."

"That would be nice," he says.

"Not going to happen because I'm not sorry."

"Okay," I say, "but can you at least try to get along with her while we're on the road."

"I can try but I still don't trust her," he says. "I don't know why."

"I don't know why either. It's not like she's a bad person."

"If I could explain it I would but I can't so we'll leave it at that. Just be careful with her."

"Okay," I say. "She met Alani."

"How did that go?"

"It went well. They got along great and now every time I talk to Alani she needs to talk to her. I think they'll have a good relationship."

"So this is pretty serious huh? You and Willow?"

"I told you, she's my soulmate. I can't describe it, Dean. She gives me this feeling that I have never felt for anyone in my life. I love her a lot. I know everything seems to be going fast but it's perfect the way it is. I don't think I have ever loved anyone more than I love Willow."

"Not even Vanessa?"

"Vanessa was and will always be my first love but Willow will always be my last love. She will be the one that gets the last kiss and the last person to hold my heart."

"You are pretty serious," he says. "You used to be the backstage player now you're slipping. She's got you whipped."

"No she doesn't," I say as the waiter brings our food.

"Yes she does," he says before making a whip sound. "You're so far gone."

"Whatever," I say with a smile knowing he is absolutely right. Willow has me whipped, there's nothing that I wouldn't do for her and I am gone, way gone. "She makes me happy."

"I know," he says, "I may not like her or trust her but she does make you happy. This is the happiest I have ever seen you. Your sex life must be pretty intense."

"You don't even know the half of it," I say with a smile. "Neither of us are lacking in the sex department."

"Uh huh," he says, "I know that she's easy."

"See there you go again," I say. "You were being fine then you have to insult her again."

"It's facts do your research," he says, "you'll see."

"It doesn't matter. It's not like I didn't sleep with over a dozen women. Remember those nights? I'm just glad I have a girl now that I can spend every night with, wake up to every morning and spend my life with. I love spending time with her."

"I know you do it all the time."

"I know but you and I can still hang out sometimes. I wouldn't mind getting some guy time, talking about stuff."

"That's good to know," he says. "So since this is so serious with you and Willow do you think she's the one?"

"I don't think she's the one, I KNOW she is the one. She makes me feel different and the way she makes me feel no one could ever make me feel this way. I love her a lot Dean and that's why it's so important to me that you two get along and get rid of this tension because she means a lot to me just like you do. I want my girlfriend, my future and my life to be able to get along with my best friend and I want my best friend to get along with my girlfriend and my future because she's not going anywhere, Dean unless she chooses to leave herself but I am in this for the forever and always."

"Damn have you been reading those romance books again?"

"No," I say with a laugh, "I'm just speaking what I feel. I told you she makes me feel different. She changed me, she changed me for the better and for that she deserves a little bling."

"Wow," says Dean. "You've got it bad."

"Badder than you'll ever know," I say with a smile.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Roman taking care of Willow while she's sick? What did you think of his conversation with Dean? Do you think that cleared the air between the two? What do you think Dean's issue is with Willow? What do you think does Willow have Roman whipped? Please review and thank-you for reading. Thank-you all so much.**


	19. Chapter 19

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. THey were greatly appreciated thank-you all so much***

"Hey, Scout," says my dad as I meet him at the restaurant in Tampa we are having lunch at today to talk about everything with Roman and me. He stands up wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a Mike Tyson t-shirt.

"Hey, Daddy," I say with a smile and relieved that he's calling me by my childhood nickname instead of calling me Willow. He only does that when he's upset with me. It makes me feel bad when he does call me Willow. He greets me with a tight hug and I wrap my arms around his large body and hold him tightly taking in the scent of my daddy.

"I'm sorry," we say together as we break our hug.

"Why are you sorry?" he asks as we take a seat. "You didn't do anything wrong. I'm the one that overreacted. That was wrong of me and I'm sorry. I didn't even give Roman a chance to prove to me that he is worthy of dating my daughter. I just saw him as a wrestler and nothing else. I'm sorry, Scout."

"Apology accepted but you weren't the only one that was wrong," I say, "I was wrong too. I shouldn't have kept it a secret that probably upset you even more. I was just scared that you would well tell me to stop dating him."

"And I pretty much did, I shouldn't have made you choose between him and I. You are an adult. You are capable of making your own decisions about who you want to be with and who you don't. If you want to date a wrestler that's your right and your decision, I can't make your decisions for you. It's your life, Scout and I have trouble remembering you're not a little girl anymore."

"Daddy, I'll always be your little girl no matter how old I get. I will always be your little girl. Yes I am an adult and I can make my own decisions but I want you to respect them. I may not always make the best decisions; Nathan being the perfect example but I make decisions regardless sometimes they are good and sometimes they are bad. I have to learn my own lessons and you can't keep me from making them. I know it's tough but you have to stand back and hope that I make the right decisions. I'm not a bad kid, Daddy. I never have been. I know I have done some questionable things but nothing too bad that ended up in jail time. I'm going to be 25 soon. You raised me to be the woman I am today so you should trust my decision making skills. Plus just like with Nathan if someone wants to hurt me I'll just break their nose," I say with a smile remembering how the last time I saw Nathan I broke his nose for cheating on me with some girl. "You raised me to be a lady but not to take any shit from anyone, you did a great job," I say with a smile.

"Yeah a pretty nice right hook," he says as we both laugh. "Everyone was always worried about what would happen if the Undertaker's daughter started dating. They probably expected me to be rough on any guy that stole my daughter's heart but you're a tough one. You can handle your own."

"Pretty much," I say with a smile. "So you're okay with Roman and me living together?" I ask before the waiter comes over to take our order.

"I'm okay with it. I want to get to know Roman," he says, "I know you love him."

"I do, Daddy, I really do love him. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never loved anyone the way I love him. He's different."

"He's different huh?" he asks taking a sip of his water. "How so?"

"I can't explain it. He made me break my own rules," I say, "he makes me feel special and makes me feel loved. When he looks at me, I feel like I'm the only woman in his world. I love him a lot, Daddy. He's like the other part of my soul. It's like my soul was missing and he was it."

"That's a pretty strong statement," he says. "You two must really love each other."

"We do," I say.

"Okay," he says, "and does he treat you well?"

"Like a Queen," I say. "He is great, Daddy. And he has a little girl that he loves so much. He is a really good father."

"He has a daughter?" he asks. "How do you feel about that?"

"I'm okay with it. She comes along with him and I love her. She's the sweetest little girl. She talks a lot but she is adorable. I love talking to her."

"Have you met her?"

"Yes," I say. "A few weeks ago in California, she lives there with her mama. Roman sees her a few times a year."

"That's good," he says, "do you like the idea of him having a daughter?"

"Yes, Daddy, I don't mind. I love everything about him."

"Okay," he says, "have you two talked about having kids?"

"Daddy, I don't want to have kids and he doesn't want any more kids either. I'm good with that."

"I see," he says, "you should really think about having at least one child, Scout."

"I'm good," I say, "trust me, I'm really good on that. I love kids but with my career I would be out for months and then I would have to quit my job so no thanks. It may be selfish but it's how I feel about having kids maybe when I'm 35 we can think about it but right now my answer is no and Roman is good with that."

"I see, and you two live together?"

"Yes," I say, "For a couple of weeks now," I say.

"How's that going?"

"Pretty good, it's just a little bit different than just spending the night with each other. I actually have closet space and drawers at his place. I actually have my own bathroom at his house so yeah it's all different but I like it. His house is beautiful. I can't wait till his daughter comes to visit so we can go swimming and play outside. I'm waiting for her to come in a few weeks."

"I'm glad you're enjoying it. I want to get to know Roman a little better. Do you think he would be interested in having a family dinner with us in a couple weeks once Michelle and the girls get settled here in Tampa?"

"I wouldn't see why not. Why don't you let me host the dinner and then you take care of what you need to but don't scare him away."

"I want to be in the comfort of my own home, Scout. It's more intimidating that way," he says with a smile.

"Better have the shotgun ready," I say with a laugh joking around with him as the waiter brings us our food.

"Thank-you," I say to him as he lays my plate of eggplant parmesan in front of me. "It looks delicious.

"So I take it you're feeling better," says my dad as the waiter lays his plate of lasagna in front of him.

"Much better but if I get tonsillitis again the doctor said I may need to get my tonsils removed. Why are we just reaching this at 24? I have been getting tonsillitis for years why now?"

"If you ask me they should have been out when you were 6 years old and you kept getting tonsillitis that year. It was tough."

"Yeah so why now?"

"Your Mama thought it was too much for you at 6 so she wouldn't let them."

"That explains a lot," I say with a smile. "So how long until y'all are moved in?"

"We're getting there," he says. "We're working on some security measures and finishing up some painting. It was one thing to come for the summer but to live there we have some work to do."

"I'm glad you're moving closer, Daddy. Now you and I can hang out a lot more when I'm not on the road."

"I like that idea," he says with a smile. "I do have some news for you," he says. "Don't get upset."

"When you say don't get upset that usually means I will. What's up?"

"Well, I was talking to Vince and he had an idea," he says.

"Okay," I say.

"He wants to have Brock Lesnar and I finish what we started at Wrestlemania last year and Summerslam this year. He wants us to fight next month at Hell in A Cell in a Hell in A Cell match," he says and I nearly choke.

"What? That's crazy, you aren't young anymore and Brock is a beast no offense. You still got it but Hell in A Cell is a different story. That's an unforgiving structure can your body handle it? I don't want to see you get injured. I have seen what that cage can do to people."

"I'll be fine."

"Daddy, I don't know if I like that idea."

"I'll be fine, Scout," he says. "Trust me. Has the Undertaker ever lost in Hell In A Cell?"

"No, I don't think so but that's not what I'm worried about. I'm worried about the beating your body is going to take from Brock in that steel cage. Please don't get sadistic, Daddy."

"I'm going vintage," he says making me nervous.

"Stay off the top of the cage please," I say. "Promise me."

"I promise I'll stay off the top of the cage," he says.

"And please don't get upset if I don't watch the match. I can't bring myself to watch it."

"I understand," he says with a nod.

"So if you're wrestling him in October what's going on at Mania?"

"I don't know. They are thinking either Sting or Kane."

"I would personally like to see you fight Kane at Mania. Isn't this your last Mania?"

"Possibly so," he says, "I'm giving it up this year," he says.

"I know. It's sad but I understand."

"25 years in this business it's about time I bow out. I had my time to shine. I told Vince that I would like to fight Roman at Mania."

"Roman? My boyfriend Roman?" I ask.

"Yeah," he says. "I'm willing to lose to him and pass the torch to him."

"You're willing to lose to Roman and pass him the torch?" I ask, "My man can't even get a championship win no way would Vince ever let you lose to him at Mania."

"If I suggest it he will. I am willing to lose to Roman at Mania. I have been watching him in the ring. He's impressive. His mic skills started off a little bit rough but whose don't? He's getting better. He's got the look, he's the full package once he gets those mic skills up to where they want them he will be WWE champion one day."

"I hope so," I say, "Geez, Daddy, you losing to Roman is a big deal. That's pretty cool but to see my two favorite men fighting I don't know how I would feel. Who would I cheer for but I'm sure it would be one hell of a match. What did Vince say?"

"He said he would take it into consideration. We'll find out by the Royal Rumble."

"Yeah, I don't expect Roman to win the Rumble."

"Exactly so he wouldn't be in the main event at Mania. I want this, Scout. I want to pass the torch to him. Your boyfriend is going to be the next top star in WWE."

"Thanks," I say, "we like to think that also."

"It will happen," he says, "you know it will. He's three years in the business. He's got some time."

"I know," I say before we continue eating lunch together. I'm glad that everything is going well between us and we were able to get past all the drama around my relationship. My dad is willing to give him a chance. That's all I ask. He already seems to be won over on his wrestling skills, let's hope he likes him outside the ring.

 **ROMAN's POINT OF VIEW:**

"Well, I'm not sure when I will have more days off work, I'm trying to take a few days off around Christmas and Thanksgiving," I say talking to my dad. "What did you have in mind?"

"I thought you could come up here to Pensacola for a few days to hang out. Your sisters miss you and so does your brother. It would be great to have you come up here for a few days to hang out as a family."

"I can come up for a couple days. My work schedule is pretty busy," I say opening a beer before I take a seat on the couch. "What all would we do?"

"We would go to the beach and have a little family reunion," he says, "it wouldn't be big but just a few of us."

"That sounds great. I miss my nieces and nephews. I would really like to see them. I think I can do this. I want to come home for a couple days to see everyone."

"Great, Son," he says, "we would like to see you. It's been a while."

"Yeah things have been pretty busy lately," I say taking a swig of my beer before Willow walks in the door. "I have been working a lot lately. A few days on the beach sound nice and hanging out with the family sounds great too," I say as Willow walks into the living room looking beautiful as always dressed in a pair of denim jeans with holes on them that come to the middle of her thighs showing off her beautiful, long tanned legs and a black halter top and her hair pulled up into a messy bun. She looks beautiful and hot. She smiles at me as I smile back at her. "Pops, am I allowed to bring a guest?" I ask as she makes her way over to the couch. She sits down next to me and I wrap my arm around her shoulders and offer her a swig of my beer. She smiles and takes a swig.

"A guest? Alani is with you?" he asks.

"No, she's in school in California. I want to bring my girlfriend," I say. "Is that okay?"

"Girlfriend?" he asks and I can hear the smile in his voice. "You have a girlfriend? I didn't even know you were dating."

"Yes, I have a girlfriend," I say stroking Willows bare shoulder with my thumb, she has the softest skin. "Her name is Willow."

"You're so private about your life we didn't even know."

"We're pretty private about it because she's a private person. I respect that. She deserves her privacy just like I do. We don't want the world knowing about us or caring about what we're doing but yes I have a girlfriend and you're going to meet her soon."

"I can't wait to meet her," he says, "she sounds like a keeper."

"You have no idea," I say with a smile. "All right, Pops, my girl is here and I haven't seen her all day and I want to spend some time with her. I'll call you back later to get some details about this trip. I'm looking forward to it."

"Okay," he says. "Love you, Son."

"I love you, Pops. Have a good day talk to you later."

"Bye, Son," he says before we hang up the phones. I lay my phone onto the coffee table and pull Willow into my arms holding her close to me. I take in the scent of her lavender shampoo. I kiss the top of her head as I feel her wrap my arms around my waist and snuggle deep into my chest. "I missed you too," I say with a smile.

"I did miss you," she says into my chest. "What's going on? Who am I meeting?"

"That was my Pops," I say. "He wants me to come up to Pensacola for a couple days. I told him I would but I want you to come with me."

"You want me to meet your family?" she asks.

I let out a small chuckle and say, "that's just the small version of my family wait till I take you to a family reunion that's when you'll meet my WHOLE family. This will just be my pops, mom, brother and sisters probably a couple of my nieces and nephews. It will be fun we'll hit the beach and hang out with my family. I really want you to meet them. You're important to me and you make me happy. I want you to meet them."

"Okay," she says and I can feel her smile against my chest before I kiss the top of her head. "Guess what my dad wants to do," she says.

"What's that?" I ask as I rub her back.

"He wants to have a family dinner and wants you to come. He wants to get to know you better," she says. "Will you go?"

"Of course," I say, "Willow, I'm very serious when I say I want to marry you someday. I want to know your family, I want you to know mine and I want us all to get along because you and I are going to have a future together. Of course I'll go to a family dinner at your dad's and I want you to meet my family. You're everything to me."

"Ro," she says nuzzling into my chest. "I love you, Baby."

"I love you too, Baby Girl." I say "I take it everything is good with you and your dad now?"

"Really good," she says sitting up. "I think he thinks very highly of you as a wrestler but I hope he thinks highly of you outside the ring. I want my two favorite men to get along or it's going to be a long life for all of us."

"I'm sure I can win him over," I say with a smile.

"Using that Roman Reigns charm huh?" she asks stroking my cheek. "It's hard to resist I'll say that but it is adorable just like you," she says with a smile.

"You think I'm adorable?" I ask.

"Yes," she says with a smile before she kisses my lips softly. "Absolutely adorable, Baby." She says before I kiss her lips softly and passionately just savoring her and making out with her for a good part of my afternoon before we spend the rest of the day playing games and watching movies. I love this girl more than anything in the world. There's nothing I wouldn't do for her. She is my world.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Willow's lunch with her dad? What do you think about him wanting Roman to come over for a family dinner? Is this going to go well? What about Willow breaking her ex's nose? What do you think about Willow's dad wanting to fight Roman at Mania and lose to him to pass the torch? What are your thoughts on Roman wanting to take Willow to meet some of his family? Do you think everything is going too fast for them? And what about them keeping things private? Is that a good idea? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	20. Chapter 20

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter they were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much!***

"All right, Tiger Woods," I say with a smile as Roman takes a golf stance as we play a game of mini-golf on one of our date nights. It's a beautiful night in Tampa, Florida. It's not too hot but not too cold. The temperature is just right and there is a light breeze in the air. "Just hit the ball."

"I take mini-golf very seriously," he says with a smile before he finally hits the ball handing it in the hole on the first try. "Perfection," he says putting his arms up in the air. "Your turn, Babe," he says with a smile. "You're never going to beat me."

"I did before," I say with a smile. "I will again," I say.

"We'll see about that," he says as I take my stance to hit the ball. I don't do it as seriously has he does but at the same time I don't want to lose. This is why Roman and I get along so well. We are two competitive people. We both like to win things. It works well when we want to have fun betting on football games, playing games or whatever but it's the worst when we're having an argument of some sort not that we really have many but when we do one of us always has to try to get the last word in. "You're not doing it right," he says as he comes up behind me, putting his body up against me and I feel the electricity between us as he leans over and kisses my neck softly before he places his hand on top of my hands.

"I think I got it," I say with a smile as he kisses my neck again. "You're only trying to distract me," I say.

"Is it working?" he whispers into my ear.

"Maybe," I say as I bite my lip as he takes his hands up and down my arms. "Joe!" I say with a giggle as he nibbles my neck. "Stop it," I say with a smile as he continues to do it. I drop the putter, turn around and face him wrapping my arms around his neck as he wraps his arms around my waist holding me against his firm and thick body as he kisses me passionately as I play with his ponytail. The people behind us clear their throats causing us to break our kiss. "Let's go, Joe," I say, "We are holding people up," I say before picking up the putter to take my turn it takes me 3 tries after Roman distracted me with his magic touch but we finally move onto the next hole. I distract him on the next hole and we continue to distract each other to the point that we both do pretty poorly by the end of the game but it was still fun.

After our game of mini-golf we go to get some frozen yogurt before we go home for the night. I love our date nights, I just love being with Roman whenever we're not bothered by Dean or when we're just having fun enjoying one another without the stress of the road. When we're out on the road we barely get this time alone because we don't want fans to start speculating when they see us together. We're trying our hardest to keep this relationship out of the public eye. That's how they end up getting ruined when it hits the public. "Want some frozen yogurt to go with those gummy worms?" Roman asks with a smile as we sit down on a bench.

"Shut up, I love Gummy worms," I say with a smile as I eat one. "Delicious," I say with a smile.

"I couldn't tell," he says with a smile as he scoops some of his chocolate frozen yogurt with chocolate sprinkles and cookie crumbs out of his dish.

"Okay, Mr. Chocolate lover," I say with a smile before I take a bite of my cotton candy frozen yogurt. "We like what we like."

"Yes we do and I love chocolate," he says with a smile. "So have you heard about the Zahra controversy?" he asks.

"Which controversy there are so many of them, which one would you be talking about right now?"

"Her racist controversy," he says as we eat.

"I didn't know she was a racist," I say, "I mean I have heard her say some things but never really enough to make me believe she was racist."

"Well, apparently there were some remarks made on Twitter or Instagram one or the other that were controversial. I heard the board was going to make a decision about them. And I guess years ago she had some racist symbol hanging in her bedroom. They're taking it all into consideration to figure out what to do."

"That's not good. Remember what they did to Hulk Hogan for what he said a few years ago?" I ask. "And he is a legend in this business. I don't like how they are trying to erase him from history. If they can do that to Hulk Hogan what will they do to Zahra she's only an NXT diva."

"And don't forget about the whole Seth controversy with the naked pictures. Things don't look like they are going on her side."

"Very true," I say. "I think she's going to get future endeavored for it."

"Me too," he says. "I don't think anyone will be able to save her."

"I don't think so either," I say. "It's a shame she didn't even really get to start her career but I understand if WWE wants to take action against her for her actions. We're all adults here most of us should know what's right and what's wrong. If we choose to do the wrong thing we should be reprimanded for that choice."

"I agree," he says with a smile. "How about you give me one of those gummy worms?"

"Only for some of your chocolate," I say with a smile.

"Deal," he says with a smile before I give him a gummy worm while I take a bite of his chocolate frozen yogurt. "So did you hear about Dean?"

"What about him?" I ask with a shrug, "and you know you gossip a lot."

"I do not gossip. I'm just filling my girlfriend in on some stuff like my best friend and his new girlfriend."

"He has a girlfriend?" I ask. "Well, I guess now he can get off my back."

"You don't like him do you?" he asks.

"I don't have anything against him. He's the one that has something against me," I say. "I try to be civil with him but he makes it difficult. Remember Las Vegas? Yeah that caused you and me a problem and that wasn't even necessary. I don't know what I did to him but I'm sorry."

"I have talked to him so I hope that you two can start getting along especially now that he has a girlfriend because I think it would be great for us to do double dates and stuff. What do you think?"

"I think that's a cute idea but will it really be fun?"

"I want it to be fun," he says, "I want to start doing this thing twice a month where your friends and you get together my friends and me. You know bring the crew together type of thing because when you and I get married someday our friends are going to have to be together at some point."

"Sounds good to me but you do realize most of my friends are your friends except the friends I have from college and high school right?"

"Right," he says making me smile as he flashes me his handsome smile.

"Okay," I say, "let's do it and I'm okay with doing double dates with Dean. Who's his girlfriend?"

"Renee Young," he says.

"I never expected that to happen but I'm happy for both of them. Renee has been crushing on him for a while."

"And he has been crushing on her for a while but he had this thing about not dating divas."

"Technically she's a commentator NOT a diva," I say. "A double date with those two should be a lot of fun, I look forward to it."

"Me too," he says with a smile as we finish eating our frozen yogurt. "Are you really okay with meeting my parents next week?"

"Of course I'm all right with meeting your parents and your brother and your sisters as well as your nieces. They mean a lot to you and you mean a lot to me. I want to meet the people that mean so much to you. I just hope they like me."

"What is there not to like?" he asks. "You're beautiful and you're smart. You're funny and you're amazing what is there not to like about you?"

"I don't know," I say with a shrug.

"Relax," he says wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "They will love you, okay?"

"Okay," I say with a smile as he cuddles me close. "It's a beautiful night isn't it?"

"Very beautiful," he says as he kisses the top of my head. "Just like you," he says making me smile. "It's a perfect night."

"Yes it is," I say with a smile. "There's nothing better than this."

"Nothing," he says holding me in his arms. "I want to know everything about you, Willow," he says.

"You pretty much do," I say, "what more is there to know?"

"I want to know your deepest and darkest secrets, I want to know some of the things you've been through. Anything," he says. "Tell me about your mom," he says.

"My mom? I don't really talk to her much," I say, "I don't really have too much to say to her."

"Why?" he asks.

"She's just not someone I want to have a relationship with. I send her Christmas cards and birthday cards but that's to the extent of it. We may talk at least twice a year no more than that. My dad and her divorced when I was 9 years old. I lived with her for a short time before I moved back in with my dad and his girlfriend; Chasey's and Gracie's mom. My mom got bold and started to cheat on my dad while he was on the road. She was using his money and they fought all the time. They had to just call it quits. I wasn't heartbroken. I just wanted them both to be happy because neither of them were, my mom ended up remarrying a couple years later and my dad ended up remarrying a year and a half later. I loved his second wife, Sara. She was amazing. She was like a mom to me. We got along pretty well but then like most relationships between a WWE superstar and a non-superstar my dad's job got in the way. They ended up divorcing a few years later. That was probably the hardest time of my life dealing with their separation and then their divorce. It was really tough, Sara and I have stayed pretty close after all these years but I was upset about it for the longest time and then when my dad got involved with Michelle I had a hard time accepting their relationship. It was tough but Michelle isn't that bad. We get along now."

"That's good," he says. "I always worry about Alani and her mom and me being separated. Vanessa has a boyfriend that is around Alani a lot my biggest fear is that one day she will see he is around more than me and want nothing to do with me but want more to do with him. It scares me," he says. "Alani is my pride and joy. I only do what's best for her. You are the first woman that I have been with that she has ever met."

"Really?" I ask.

"Yes," he says, "I didn't think any other woman I was with was worthy of meeting her or having any part of her life but there's something different about you. I want you to be a part of her life too. You know we're a packaged deal."

"A cute packaged deal," I say with a smile. "I love her. She's such a sweetie."

"She really is a sweetie. She has me wrapped around her finger for sure," he says. "Having Alani changed my entire life. She made me a better person and made me clean up my act. Around the time I got Vanessa pregnant I was not doing a lot of good things. I couldn't get a job or land a spot on an NFL team. I tried but I went undrafted, I kept getting fired and traded to other teams. I started to get destructive and make destructive decisions. I started drinking a lot, I had a DUI and I was losing myself. That wasn't me you know? But it was helping me. Vanessa and I were fighting all the time. She was still in college and I was out. We had one crazy wild night and Alani was made. The day she told me she was pregnant, I was scared to death. I didn't think I was ready to be a father but having Alani saved me from myself. They say everything happens for a reason. I needed Alani as much as she needed me. It took me a while to figure that out and even though she was a surprise I wouldn't trade it for the world. Now my job is to protect her and love her unconditionally and to provide for her. Vanessa and I tried to make it work but we couldn't. We did the best we could but our best just wasn't enough. We broke up and she took Alani to California with her. As much as I miss Lani I know it's the best thing for her."

"I see," I say, "but you are still very involved in her life. You talk to her every day and you spend as much with her as you can. You may not be able to be with her every day and she understands that. It took me a while to understand why my dad was always gone but I understood it better when I was about Alani's age. He was doing a job to provide for his family just like you're doing. Don't be scared that she's going to choose her mom's boyfriend over you. She loves you a lot, Joe. She knows that you love her and she knows that if you could be there every day that you would be and she also knows that your job is demanding. It's okay," I say.

"Thanks," he says holding me tighter in his arms. "I love you, Willow."

"I love you too," I say with a smile before he kisses my lips softly.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Roman's and Willow's date night? What do you think about Willow opening up about her mom to Roman? What do you think of Roman's idea to bring their crew together? Do you think Dean will ease up on Willow now that he has a girlfriend of his own? What do you think of Roman opening up about Alani and how she changed his life? Do you think if it were to happen again he would have similar views? Please review and thank you for reading.**


	21. Chapter 21

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. THey were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

After driving almost 8 hours Joe pulls up in front of a small little house in Pensacola, Florida. "We're here," he says as he puts his SUV into park.

"This is where your parents live?" I ask looking at the house. "You grew up here?"

"Yes, this is where my parents live," he says taking the keys out of the ignition. "It's cozy, I know probably nothing that you're used to but this is home for me."

"It's cute," I say with a smile. "I always wanted to have a small little house like this."

He gives me a smile and says, "I loved growing up here. It was pretty simple."

"Simple lives make me happy," I say with a smile as I look at the house before I look back at him. "You think they will like me?"

"I'm sure they will love you, there isn't anything to dislike about you," he says. "Just relax. They will love you I promise."

"I hope so," I say nervously before he leans over and kisses my lips softly.

"They will love you because I love you and you make me happy," he says with a smile. "Ready?"

"As ready as I'm ever going to be," I say with a smile. "Let's do this."

Joe and I get out of the car and he gets our bags from the trunk of the car before we make our way to the front porch. He doesn't ring the doorbell and just walks in making me smile. I love it immediately. It's smaller than I'm used to but it's not about the size of the home but the love in the home that matters. I hear kids laughing and screaming, little footsteps running through the house and I hear laughter coming from the living room. "I'll give you a tour later," he says, "but right now I want you to meet my family," he says with a smile as he lays our bags down inside the door. He takes my hand and we make our way to the living room.

"Uncle Joe!" yells one of the little girls. She is about 9 years old and has dark hair and dark eyes. She runs over to Joe as everyone turns their heads in our direction.

"Jasmine," he says giving her a hug. "How are you?"

"Good," she says with a smile. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," he says with a smile. "Willow, this is my niece Jasmine," he says introducing us. "And Jasmine, this is my girlfriend Willow."

"Hi," she says with a smile.

"Hi," I say smiling back at her as another little girl makes her way over to Joe that looks similar to Jasmine and then a girl and a boy that are older than them. He introduces me to his two nieces and then his nephew as they catch up. I can tell Joe really loves his nieces and nephews. He picks Jasmine up and carries her into the living room.

"Put her down," says a woman that looks similar to Joe. "She is 9 years old she is able to walk besides when you're holding her I can't give my little brother a hug." He puts Jasmine down and gives his sister a hug. "How are you doing? It's been a while."

"Pretty good," he says with a smile as they break the hug. "How about you?"

"Good," she says, "How is the WWE life?"

"Hectic," he says, "but I love my job."

"That's good. How is Alani doing?"

"Growing like a weed," he says, "doing great in school and is enjoying her gymnastics. Getting ready to do cheerleading soon."

"That's great," she says with a smile.

"Hey, Son," says his dad Sika before they share a hug. "Looking good."

"Thanks you are too," he says with a smile before he hugs his mom. "Hey, Mom," he says.

"I missed you. We don't see each other nearly enough," she says.

"I've been busy but I want to try to get back home more often."

"We'd like that," she says with a smile, "and who is this beautiful woman with you?" she asks making me smile.

"This is my girlfriend, Willow," he says with a smile. "Willow, this is my mom and my dad. This is my sister Summer and this is my brother Matt," he says introducing me to his family.

"Hi," I say with a smile as I hold onto Joe's hand. "Nice to meet you," I say with a smile.

"Nice to meet you," says Joe's mom. "I'm Lisa."

"Hi," I say with a smile as I shake her hand.

"Joe has told us so little about you," she says, "come on, have a seat let's get to know you."

"Okay," I say with a smile as she takes my hand leading me over to the couch before Sika stops her.

"Welcome," he says with a smile. "You can call me Pops," he says with a smile before giving me a hug.

"Okay, Pops," I say with a smile before I take a seat on the couch as Joe takes a seat next to me, taking my hand into his intertwining our fingers.

"So you two work together?" asks Lisa.

"Yeah, we work together," I say with a smile. "We met each other at a gym in Tampa which is interesting because we never met each other before that."

"How long have you two been together?" asks Lisa.

"About 4 months now," I say.

"And you two live together?" she asks.

"Yes we do," I say with a smile. "Your son is a great guy. I love him a lot. You raised him to be such a gentleman."

"We did our best," she says, "thank-you. Have you met Joe's little girl?"

"Yes," I say, "and I talk to her every time Joe talks to her. She's such a sweetheart. I love her."

"That's great. So tell me a little bit about you," she says. "I want to know more about you, like I said Joe hasn't said anything about you. We didn't even know he had a girlfriend until he asked if you could come with him. We were shocked to say the least. It's been a while."

"Mom," he says. "Relax, give Willow some time to take all this in."

"I'm all right," I say with a smile. "Well, my name is Willow. I'm from Houston, Texas. My father is actually in the business as well. My father is the Undertaker," I say with a smile. "So I grew up in the business like Joe. I have a degree in Elementary Education and Special Education. If I wasn't a diva I was going to work in education preferably in special education. I live in Tampa with Joe and that's probably about it. I'm not a very interesting person."

"You're Mark's daughter?" asks Sika. "I had no idea. The last time I saw you, you were 5 years old. You were probably no taller than this," he says holding his hand measuring out how tall I was at 5 years old. "You grew up to be a beautiful young woman."

"Thank-you," I say with a smile.

"And you always had those beautiful blue-green eyes," he says with a smile, "and that curly red hair."

"I dye it now," I say with a smile as I just dyed my red hair dark brown the other day.

"So you followed in your father's footsteps?" asks Pops.

"Yes," I say. "I wanted to carry on his legacy. If I can have the career he did I would be honored."

"I'm sure you will," says Pops. "You like being in WWE?"

"I love it," I say, "and not because I am the Divas champion but because it feels like home to me. It's what I always dreamed of doing. I know your family has a really amazing legacy. I want that with my family too."

"If you and Joe were to get married," says Lisa, "and you two had children you could bring both legacies together."

"Mom," says Joe. "It's a bit soon to talk about marriage isn't it?" he asks even though we have already talked about getting married and having a future together.

"I'm sorry," she says. "I'm getting ahead of myself here."

"It's okay," I say with a smile.

"How does your dad feel about you dating Joe?" she asks.

"Well, at first it was not so good but he really likes Joe. I think they will get along well."

"That's good," she says with a smile. "So are you going to go to the beach with us?"

"Yeah," I say with a smile. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Have you ever been to Pensacola Beach?"

"Not really, my family usually went to Clear Water for the beach."

"I see," she says, "you'll love it."

"I'm sure," I say with a smile as we continue talking to each other and I let her get to know me. I feel so welcomed by his parents and his siblings. I love his family. I already feel like I'm part of the family.

 **LATER THAT DAY:**

I'm sitting on the beach with Joe's older sister Summer watching him play with her little girls and his other niece and nephew. I can't help but to smile as I watch them interact. He is having a lot of fun and the kids are having a blast. I sit smiling watching them splash around in the water and watch as he tosses them into the ocean with his brother Matt. "They really love him," I say to Summer.

"Joe is their favorite Uncle. He always has been," she says with a smile. "He loves his nieces and nephews. Joe is a really big family man. Every time we have a family event he is the one playing with the kids. It breaks my heart he can only see Alani every so often. I wish he could see her more."

"Me too," I say with a smile as I brush sand off my tanned ankle. "He really loves her. I wish they could see each other more."

"Joe loves kids," she says. "He always has. He is amazing with them. He and Alani are really close when they are together. That little girl has him wrapped around her finger. When she was born Joe stepped up and did the right thing. He got a 9-5 job and trained for wrestling on top of it to support her and her mother. He wasn't one of those fathers that just sat back and watched the mother do everything. He was involved. He did late night feedings, he changed diapers, he did so much for Alani. He played with her every chance that he got and then everything changed. Vanessa took Alani away from him because he went out to live his dream so that he could put food on the table for his family. It broke his heart. He acts like he agreed to Vanessa taking Alani all the way to California but the truth is he didn't. It broke his heart when she took her away. Alani and Joe have this bond she often chose him over her mother. She was such a daddy's girl. I hated it for him but at the same time he had no choice."

"Oh," I say. I had no idea that's what happened. Joe had only told me bits and pieces of Vanessa and Alani moving to California. I always assumed that it was a mutual decision but according to Summer it wasn't. I watch Roman play with his nieces and his nephew and I get a strange feeling in my stomach. I see it in his eyes. I can see his love for kids in his eyes. He feels comfortable with them and they are drawn to him. It all makes sense now when we're out on the road. He has a soft spot in his heart for kids just like I do. He will stop to sign an autograph for any child that asks whether we're eating or whatever. He doesn't care if a child asks for an autograph or a picture he complies.

"Yeah, Joe had a dream of having a family and a few kids. He has always wanted a lot of kids."

"Really?" I ask.

"Yes," she says. "Look at him. He loves them. Do you like kids?"

"I love kids," I say, "I have a degree in Elementary Education and I have 3 little sisters. I love kids."

"That's good," she says with a smile as she looks at me. "Vanessa didn't want any of that. She didn't even want Alani. Alani was a surprise. That's also part of the reason they aren't together anymore. Joe tried so hard for so long to make it work but Vanessa and him just wanted two different things in life."

"I see," I say as I feel sick to my stomach. Joe and I have talked about our future. We have talked about getting married but we both agreed on not having children due to our busy schedules but something deep down tells me that he only agreed to not having children to make me happy. I don't want him to give up on his wishes for his future and the things he wants because of me. I know relationships are about sacrifice but asking someone not to have children because you don't want them is a bit selfish especially if they want another child more than anything. I feel terrible.

"Are you okay?" asks Summer.

"Yeah," I say, "I'm just thinking," I say as I watch Joe making his way toward me with the kids behind him.

"Hey, Beautiful," says Joe as he leans down and kisses my cheek softly before taking a seat next to me. "What are you two over here talking about?"

"Just girl stuff," I say with a smile as I look at him with my blue-green eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asks as he rests his arms on his knees and looks back at me.

"Nothing," I say, "why would something be wrong?"

"Your eyes are a crystal blue right now," he says, "they only turn that shade of blue when you're upset about something. Why are you upset?" he asks. I have to give it to him. He can read me like a book.

"Nothing," I say, "I'm just thinking. Let's just enjoy our trip."

"That means I'm in trouble for something," he says, "what did I do?"

I smile at him and say, "you didn't do anything, Baby. You didn't do anything, I promise. I'm not upset. I promise."

"Okay," he says. "You sure?"

"100," I say.

"All right, Babe, I'll take your word for it but you know if something has you upset you can talk to me about anything."

"I'm good promise, let's go get something to drink," I say.

"All right," he says looking at me strangely.

"I'm fine, Joe, really."

"All right," he says as he stands up and then helps me up so we can get a drink together. "I love you."

"I love you too," I say before he kisses my lips softly before taking my hand into his.

"Aw you two are so cute together," says Summer with a smile. "I'm glad to see that Willow makes you happy. It's been a while since you've been this happy."

"She does make me happy," he says with a smile. "It feels good to be happy again," he says making me feel even worse. He has chosen to give up something he wants because of something I don't want because he loves me. I can't let him sacrifice something like that. Having kids one day can't be too bad, can it?

 ***A/N: How do you think meeting Roman's family went for Willow? Do you think that they liked her? What did you think of her conversation with his sister? What do you think of Summer telling her about everything that happened with Vanessa? Do you think Roman down played the story to Willow or Summer over exaggerated the story? Do you think Roman secretly wants to have more kids? Do you think talking to Summer made Willow change her mind about having kids or could this cause some issues with her and Roman? What do you think of Roman knowing something is wrong with Willow? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	22. Chapter 22

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. they were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

"Are you having fun?" asks Joe as we are cuddled up in front of the bond fire we created on the beach to spend time together before we leave to go back out on the road tomorrow.

"Yeah," I say as I rest my head on his chest. "I'm having a lot of fun. I love your family. They are the sweetest."

"They love you," he says with a smile before he kisses the top of my head with his soft lips. "You're cold. You want the blanket?" he asks.

"Please," I say as I sit up so he can get our blanket out of his bag. He wraps it around us and we cuddle up in each other's arms. There's no place I'd rather be. "Thank-you, Baby," I say with a smile.

"You're welcome," he says. "Are you feeling all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I say. "Everything is fine."

"What are you two whispering about?" asks his brother Matt.

"Nothing," says Joe. "We're just talking."

"Yeah I bet," he says, "so what's going on in the WWE? What do they have for you next?" he asks.

"I don't know. There was some talk with turning me heel next week after Night of Champions but they changed their mind. They're not ready for me to be heel yet. They want to carry this Bray Wyatt vs Roman Reigns feud a little longer. They want us to have a match at Hell in a Cell in the cell. That's all I know for my future."

"Wow," says Matt. "That's going to be an intense match. Are you ready for that?"

"Yeah," says Joe. "I'm ready for it."

"It's going to be a good match."

"Yeah but we need to get through this match next Sunday first."

"What's up with that match? Who is your tag team partner?"

"Can't tell you that," says Joe with a smile. "It's a surprise."

"There's so much speculation," says Matt. "It could be anyone."

"Yeah it pretty much is anyone," says Joe.

"When do you think you're going to get back into the title picture?" asks his mom. "You were so close to winning at Wrestlemania and then that Seth Rollins came out and cashed in. I was so upset. You deserved that championship."

"And I was supposed to get it until everything happened at the Royal Rumble. When the fans turned on me that's when creative started questioning me and questioning my push. I don't know if I'll ever get that championship."

"You will get it someday, Son," says Pops. "You will get that belt someday."

"I hope," says Joe as he takes my hand under the blanket and intertwines our fingers. "It's like they don't want to give me a chance. I came so close at Money in the Bank when I almost won the ladder match but of course they stopped that from happening. I don't know what more I need to do to prove myself to them. I show up on time, I bust my ass working every chance that I can get, I took an acting class to get better at delivering promos and yet my best just isn't good enough."

"Your best is always good enough for me," I say. "I'm proud of you and everything you've been doing lately. It's just backstage politics. Unfortunately we're working at a time where social media, the fans and marks control the business. They want to do what they think is best for business and if the fans aren't behind you they aren't going to build you up and give you what you want or if they don't think you're up to their standards then they aren't going to build you up. I've seen it happen so many times to so many people. Look at Dean. He has a big fan base and is one of the favorites but creative doesn't want to see him with the belt. It's all backstage politics. You and Dean are both in need of a major push. You two are the hardest working men in the company. You both deserve more than what they are giving to you but know that I will always be proud of you and no matter what WWE thinks I think a lot more about you and know what you deserve. Your best will always be good enough for me."

"Thanks, Baby Girl," he says making me smile. "I love you."

"I love you too," I say before we share a soft quick kiss. "Just think though, the harder you work, the longer you wait the sweeter that victory is going to be when you finally get that championship. You have the heart of a warrior. That's something to be proud of."

He smiles down at me and says, "thanks."

"You're welcome," I say with a smile.

"You two are so adorable together," says Lisa; Roman's mom. "I don't remember the last time I have seen Joe this happy. It's been a while."

"Well, Willow makes me very happy," he says. "I wouldn't trade her for anything."

"So will there be wedding bells in the future?" asks Lisa.

"Most likely," says Joe making me smile. "Just not until we're both ready to get married but someday."

"You two are really serious," says Lisa with a smile. "But you two are so happy."

"We are really happy," I say. "Joe is a good man. He's one of the best."

 **LATER THAT NIGHT:**

"Oh my gosh," I say as Joe and I are looking at family albums in his parents' living room around one in the morning while everyone else is asleep. "You were the cutest little kid ever!"

"Thanks," he says as we look at his baby pictures.

"So that hair was always a thing huh?" I ask talking about how much hair he had when he was little.

"Always," he says with a smile. "My hair will always be a thing until I'm too old to grow hair anymore and I start balding."

"Going by the fact that your dad still has hair I would say you're going to have hair for a really long time. Do you ever cut it?"

"I trim it," he says, "but I don't cut it. I work hard to maintain this mane," he says making me smile.

"Well, you do spend more time fixing it than I spend fixing my own."

"Because if I don't condition it and manage it I'm going to have an afro, I have to take so many steps to prevent that from happening."

"Good point," I say with a smile. "I love your hair though. I just want to braid it or something."

"You can braid it or play with it whenever you want. I let Alani play with my hair all the time. She thinks it's the coolest thing that her and I have the same length hair. I just don't do pink ponytail holders."

"That's good to know," I say. "My dad used to have long hair too. I used to play with it all the time when I was a little girl. Okay tell me you were not a Ninja Turtles fanatic when you were little," I say as he flips to a picture of him in his Ninja turtle pajamas.

"I loved the Ninja Turtles," he says. "That was my shit. I had Ninja Turtle everything from underwear, pajamas to stuffed animals. My room was even done in Ninja Turtles. I loved them."

"I never expected that from you," I say with a smile. "It's cute," I say wrapping my arm around his. "You were such a cute kid. I think Alani looks a lot like you."

"You're the first person to ever say that," he says, "everyone tells me that she looks like Vanessa. Alani has my mouth that's about it but she doesn't have anything else of mine."

"I think there are some features of yours other than your mouth that she has. I think she has your bone structure and maybe your nose."

"I don't know about all that," he says. "Mom has told me that Alani does look like me a bit in her baby pictures," he says before he gets out another family photo album. He flips to a page that has a baby girl on it and then flips to a page of him as a baby. "What do you think? This is Alani when she was 3 months old and this was me when I was 3 months old. Do you think we still look alike?"

"A little bit," I say, "but she was so cute. She's still cute but look at her chubby little cheeks and all that hair. She had so much hair."

"We could put it in a ponytail when she was 2 months old," he says. "It must be the genes," he says with a smile.

"You really love her don't you?" I ask as I see pictures of him feeding her and pictures of him playing with her when she was a baby.

"She's the best thing to ever happen to me," he says. "Here she is when she was 2 years old," he says pointing to her.

"She's adorable," I say.

"And this is when she was 3. She dressed up like a cupcake princess. She had a fascination with cupcakes. I don't know why but that's what she wanted."

"Aw," I say looking at the picture. "Okay so she is the perfect mixture of you and Vanessa. She's adorable no matter what. Is it true that you didn't' want Vanessa to leave and go to California with her?"

"Where did you hear that?" he asks looking at me.

"Summer told me when we were talking the other day. She told me that you were upset that Vanessa decided to move to California with Alani."

"I wasn't happy about it because Alani knew my family. She knew Florida and knew this life but she moved her to people she barely even knew. I know that it is Vanessa's family but my family never gets to see her except when I'm lucky enough to have her. I wanted Vanessa to stay here and raise her but she didn't want to. I was upset but I couldn't' stop her. What was I going to do I'm on the road 300 plus days a year? I couldn't get custody of her so Vanessa did what she thought she had to do. I hate that she lives so far away and I only see her a few times a year. It's not fair to me and it's not fair to Alani but that's the way it is. I have thought about moving to California but I like it here in Florida but if it means more time with Alani I will do what I need to do. I was really upset when she decided to leave. I felt like she was taking my daughter away from me and she was in a way. She took Alani away from me. Alani and I have this bond, Willow. We've been close since the day she was born. I did a lot more for her than Vanessa ever did. I fed her, changed her, bathed her and dressed her. I stepped up and became a father. Being her father is my greatest accomplishment. When Vanessa took her to California it broke my heart. I was pretty upset about it."

"Did you agree with it?"

"I didn't agree with it but what choice did I have? Vanessa and I wanted two different things in life."

"What did Vanessa want that you didn't want?"

"She wanted Alani to be an only child. She didn't want to get married. She wanted to just live together but I wanted and needed more than that from her. She didn't even want Alani at first. We just wanted two different things."

"But what did you want?" I ask.

"With Vanessa I wanted it all. I wanted more kids, I wanted marriage. I wanted the rest of my life with her. She didn't' want that. We fought so much and couldn't even look at each other. That's when we broke up and she moved to California. We have since patched up our relationship and we get along great now because she's happy."

"I'm glad that she's happy but are you happy?" I ask.

"Of course I am happy," he says, "what's going on, Willow?"

"Do I really make you happy?"

"Of course you do, why wouldn't you make me happy?"

"Because I don't want kids but you seem to love kids. Do you want more kids?"

"What?" he asks looking at me. "I thought you and I discussed the kid thing? I told you Alani is it. She's the only kid that I want."

"So you're telling me that if I got pregnant tomorrow you wouldn't want it?"

"I'm not saying that, Willow, what I'm saying is that I'm not planning on having more kids. There was a time when I did want more kids but that was before I got involved in the company more and started working these crazy schedules. That's before everything got hectic. I will admit there was a time that I wanted more kids but in this line of work I can't have more kids. I told you the honest truth, I'm not trying to have more kids if it happens by some crazy chance then we'll figure it out but I'm not going to say Willow, I changed my mind. I want to have a baby. Do you want kids?"

"I don't know but I don't want you to feel that you need to please me and sacrifice something that you want because I said I don't. I have thought about it the last couple days since I talked to Summer."

"Oh so Summer is the one that told you I wanted more kids?"

"Yeah," I say.

"Well, relax, I wanted more kids a long time ago when I was with Vanessa but then WWE happened and things got crazy. I couldn't handle another kid. Be honest with me Willow, do you want kids?"

"I really don't know, Joe. I told you I have been thinking about it. I do love kids and I'm really good with kids. I love watching you with Alani and seeing you with your nieces and nephews you looked like you were in your element, then your sister was telling me how you're the favorite uncle because you're always hanging out with the kids. I see you with the kids that you meet on the road. You can't honestly tell me you don't hope to have another child, Joe. It's written all over your face that you want another baby and you want more kids and I don't know if I am the woman that can give that to you. I don't know if I want to have kids. A part of me does but another part of me doesn't. It may seem a bit selfish but I don't think I can be a mother. I went through too much with my mom that I am scared to be a mom."

"So you made your decision of not being a mother based on fear rather than your career? What happened with your mom that has you so afraid of being a mom?"

"My mom just had some problems is all," I say, "she had depression. It was just really hard to watch. Some days she was excited about life and wanted to have fun other times she just laid in bed and cried all day. It was hard to watch. It was hard to live with. I'm scared that if I become a mom I'm going to be just like her. I don't want that Joe."

"I don't think that's possible, I have seen you with kids on the road as well, I saw you with Alani and I have seen you with your sisters. You would be a great mom but I understand you don't want to have kids and I'm all right with that."

"Can you honestly look at me and tell me that you don't want to have any more kids?"

"Willow," he says looking me in the eyes. "I don't want to have any more kids. I did at one time but I don't now. If it were to happen unexpectedly I would be there and I would step up, do what I needed to do and accept and respect any wish you desire. I have one beautiful little girl already that I love with every beat of my heart. I'm fine with just one child, Willow. I would never pressure you or ask you to have another baby for me. That's not what I want. What I want is to be happy with you, have a future with you and let life happen the way it's meant to happen. I want you, Willow. I only want you. I want a life together with you and to make you happy however that may be. As long as I have you I don't need anything else. Like I said, if a surprise pregnancy were to happen I would do what I needed to do and respect whatever decision you felt you needed to make. I'm here for you. I'm happy with you."

"But will that always be enough for you, Joe? Will just me always be enough for you?"

"More than enough," he says, "you will always be more than enough for me, Willow. I feel like you don't want to be in this relationship with me," he says.

"I do, I want this but I also want you to be happy. Would you be happy if Alani was the only child you had?"

"Yes, Willow," he says, "Yes, you make me happy, you will ALWAYS make me happy. I love you, Willow."

"I love you too," I say with a smile. "You sure you wouldn't want a little girl or a little boy running around that we created together?"

"Are you sure that you don't?" he asks with a smile.

"I don't know the idea is growing on me a bit. Maybe when I'm 28 or 30," I say, "but definitely not tomorrow."

"Definitely not tomorrow," he says with a smile. "But it's okay if we never do. I'm happy to have you. I love you so much."

"I love you too," I say with a smile.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Willow encouraging Roman? Do you think Willow will be good for his career? What are your thoughts of Willow confronting Roman about having a baby? Did it seem like Willow was looking for an out? What did you think of Roman telling her that he doesn't want another kid and he's happy with their plans now? What did you think about Willow telling Roman about her mom's depression? What about Willow changing her mind about having kids? Did that surprise you? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	23. Chapter 23

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. THey were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

"Remember the last time we were in this house," says Joe with a smile as we walk hand in hand to my dad's front door of his house in Tampa. It's the same house where Joe and I almost got caught by my dad a couple months ago when we took a little vacation together.

"I could never forget it," I say with a smile. "At least this time with my dad here it will be under different circumstances."

"Yeah," he says with a smile as I open the front door and walk in. "You think everything is going to go okay?"

"I'm sure it will. My dad has more respect for you than you'll ever know," I say. "I think you're pretty good in his eyes."

"That's good to know," he says before we share a soft quick kiss before we venture into the living room of the 5 bedroom house. I hear the football game on as we make our way to the living room. My dad loves football, wrestling and UFC. I grew up learning how to play football and learning how to box as well as wrestle.

We walk into the living room and my dad is sitting on the couch holding Kaia in his lap with my other two sisters Gracie and Chasey watching the Texans play the Seahawks. "We're here," I say with a smile as my dad turns to look at me and gets a smile on his face.

"Willow," he says with a smile as he stands up as Kaia jumps off his lap.

"Willow!" yells Kaia as she runs up to me and wraps her arms around my leg.

"Hey, Kai," I say with a smile as I hug her back. "You're getting so big. It feels like I haven't seen you forever."

"I'm getting real big," she says with a smile.

"Yes you are," I say with a smile as I pick her up in my arms before I hug my dad. "Hey, Daddy," I say as I give him a hug.

"Hey, Scout," he says before he gives me a kiss on the cheek. "How's everything?"

"Pretty good," I say before I greet my two other sisters. "You already know Joe," I say to him, "but Joe, this is my little sister Kaia."

"Hi," he says with a smile as Kaia gives him a shy smile.

"Hi," she says before hiding her face in my shoulder.

"Don't be shy," I say, "Joe isn't going to bite you."

"Hi, I'm Chasey," says my little sister with a big smile on her face. I can tell she has a little crush on Joe by the way she's looking at him.

"Hi," he says shaking her hand.

"And I'm Gracie," says my other little sister with the same smile on her face.

"Nice to meet you," says Joe shaking their hands.

"Willow, your boyfriend is really cute," says Gracie making Joe let out a small chuckle.

"I think so too," I say giving Joe a smile as I fee his hand at the small of my back.

"So you want to be called Joe or Roman?" asks my dad.

"Joe is fine," he says, "but if you want to call me Roman that's okay too, Mr. Calaway." I can tell that Joe is intimidated by my dad and it's making him a little nervous around him. After the way things went the last time I don't blame him for being nervous around my dad at all.

"Please," says my dad, "call me Mark."

"I'm more comfortable calling you Mr. Calaway," he says.

"That's fine too but you're allowed to call me Mark," says my dad.

"Okay, Sir," he says.

"Don't be nervous," he says, "I'm sorry about last time. It's just Willow is my baby girl and the last thing I want to see is her get hurt. I'm sorry how things went that last time. I invited you over for dinner so that we can forget about that and start over."

"Okay," says Joe. "It's forgotten about."

"Good," says my dad, "so you like football?" he asks.

"I love football," says Joe, "I played in high school and college. I was going to be in the NFL but it didn't work out according to plan," he says. "But everything worked out for the best. I wouldn't trade my life for anything."

"That's good," says my dad, "be happy with what you do and you'll love what you do," he says with a smile. "Come have a seat the game is on."

"Thanks," says Joe as we make our way over to the couch. My dad takes a seat and then Joe and I take a seat next to each other. He wraps his arm around my shoulders as I sit next to him as Kaia runs off to get a few of her toys to show me. I rest my head on his chest and can hear his heart beating faster than normal. I take his hand into mine and intertwine our fingers as we watch the game.

"Who is your favorite NFL team?" asks my dad.

"49ers," says Joe. "I'm a die hard 49ers fan."

"I'm a Texan fan. They're not doing too bad this season neither are your 49ers."

"No, the 49ers are doing really well this season. They are a lot better than last season. I have my fingers crossed to see them in the super bowl in February. I would like to see them in another super bowl and take a victory."

"I'm waiting to see the Texans make history in the super bowl," says my dad. "What do you think of Joe being a 49ers fan?" asks my dad.

"I'm all right with it as long as he knows Houston is the better team," I say with a smile as I look up at Joe as he looks down at me.

"I believe San Francisco is the better team," says Joe.

"We'll see when they play each other in a couple weeks," I say. "Then we'll know for sure but when my boys beat your boys I'm going to tell you I told you so."

"Wanna place a bet on that game?" asks Joe.

"Maybe later," I say giving him a wink.

"We'll discuss it later," he says before he kisses my lips softly.

We sit and watch the game with my dad watching the Texans hand it to the Seahawks in a 35-21 victory over them. My dad and I celebrate together as the Texans are officially undefeated for the season. We gather around the table after the game to have our family dinner that Michelle prepared for us. It is one of my favorite meals besides sushi. She made a delicious filet mignon, with fresh corn on the cob and baked potatoes with a fresh garden salad on the side. It was amazing. During dinner we spent time talking to Joe about how he liked the business and things he would like to accomplish. His number one goal right now is to get the WWE championship but right now he's in some ridiculous feud with Bray Wyatt that's taking way too long to be over. He gives my dad a brief rundown of his football career and how he made it to the NFL but it didn't last long. He explained that he has a 7 year old daughter that changed his life and I have to commend him for his honesty. He is hiding nothing from my dad and I like that. I know my dad likes it too. My dad and Joe seem to be getting along fine. My dad gives Joe some advice about being in the business even though I'm sure he has heard the advice from his father and his cousins as well as his brother many times. Joe respectfully listens to my dad and thanks him for his advice. "Joe, can I get you some coffee or anything?" asks Michelle.

"No, Thank-you, Mrs. Calaway, I'm all right. Thank-you for dinner, it was wonderful."

"You're welcome," she says with a smile. "I'm glad that you enjoyed it."

"It was very enjoyable," he says with a smile. "Do you need any help cleaning up?"

"I'm all right," she says with a smile, "but thank-you though."

We clear the dining room and make our way into the living room while my dad goes off to his office to do a few things leaving Joe and I alone in the living room. "You doing all right?" I ask.

"Yeah," he says. "I'm starting to feel more comfortable around your dad. He's a little intimidating but I'm getting used to him."

"My dad is a big teddy bear," I say. "He puts on this act but behind closed doors he really is a teddy bear. He is a really sweet man that cares a lot about his family. I'm glad you two are getting along so well."

"Me too," he says with a smile as I put my legs over his as we sit on my dad's couch. "What was it like growing up as the Undertaker's daughter?"

"Surprisingly pretty normal," I say, "my dad did the best he could to give us a normal life even now for Kaia they do everything to give her a normal life. He always felt that I didn't choose to be famous and that none of his kids chose to have famous parents because we didn't. He did his best to keep us out of the public eye. He never had family pictures posted online or in public. If any pictures are posted of Kaia either her face is blurred out or they are from behind. My dad is a pretty private man and wants us to live a life of privacy. It was our choice if we wanted to tell our friends he was a WWE superstar and that he was the Undertaker. I only told my closest friends about him because I trusted them. They were all right with it too. Never asked for autographs or treated me any differently when they found out. This may surprise you a bit but my dad was pretty involved in our lives growing up. He did occasionally come to school events and some sporting events. He was out of character so very little people actually recognized him. If I ever have kids that's what I want for them. I want them to have their privacy and enjoy a normal childhood like my dad did for me and my brother as well as our little sisters. If you and I have kids that's what I want, I want them to have privacy and grow up as normal as we possibly can let them grow up. It's going to be harder now these days because of everyone having cell phones and social media. That diminishes any bit of privacy."

"I know all about social media," he says. "We'll do our best. I'm trying the best for Alani but after I did that Father commercial with her everyone started looking for pictures of her anywhere they could find them. They have fake accounts of my daughter, of me, of Vanessa. Most of Alani's pictures are on Google."

"Does that bother you?" I ask.

"At the end of the day as long as people are tasteful about it I can't really stop them from doing it. They just need to remember that Alani is my family. I'm scared that you and I are going to get out and everyone is going to have a field day with it."

"We've been doing good so far. No one really suspects anything and I haven't heard any internet rumors so we must be doing something right," I say with a smile.

"Yeah," he says, "so I heard you correctly right? You said if you and I have kids?"

"Yes," I say with a smile.

"So you do want kids?"

"I didn't say I wanted them, I'm just not opposed to the idea. If it happens it happens right? We can't really do anything to stop it from happening but my birth control is good for about 3 years so I think we're good to go and nothing to worry about."

"That's good," he says with a smile.

"I want to show you something," I say with a smile as I stand up. I make my way over to the coffee table and pick up a couple photo albums. I walk them back over and take a seat next to Joe. "So you showed me your baby pictures and pictures of your family. I'm going to show you some pictures but don't laugh at me."

"Why would I laugh at you?" he asks.

"I was a chubby baby and I didn't slim out until I was about 7 years old so I was a chunky monkey."

"I'm sure you were adorable," he says, "I won't laugh at you."

"Okay," I say with a smile as I open the photo album. "This is me a couple days after I was born. I was born November 25, 1990 three days after my dad made his debut at Survivor Series on November 22nd, 1990. My mama said that my brother and I purposely waited for my dad to come home before we made our appearance. She said we came pretty close to coming before he was home."

"You were so adorable," he says with a smile as we flip through the photo album and he sees pictures of my dad and I as well as some pictures with my mom and pictures of my brother and I together. "You got your dad's eyes," he says.

"Yeah, and Gunner got our mom's eyes. Everyone says that he looks like our dad and that I look like my mom except I have my dad's eyes."

"You do look like your mom," he says. "Look at your red curly hair," he says with a smile. "Did you ever dress up as Annie for Halloween?"

"Shut up," I say as I elbow him as he lets out a laugh.

"You talk about my hair being a thing looks like yours was too."

"Always," I say with a smile. "See, I told you I was a chunky monkey till I was about 7. This is me when I played soccer when I was 7."

"You look like you mean business," he says, "you didn't play with Barbie dolls or anything when you were little?"

"Nope I was never into the Barbie doll life. I didn't even like baby dolls. I just liked to read. I read lots and lots of books and played sports. I played outside every day till the sun went down. I was rough playing in mud, playing with the boys. I don't know just didn't like all that stuff."

"I see," he says, "you're one of a kind, Willow. Why does your dad call you Scout?"

I smile at him and say, "Have you ever heard of To Kill A Mockingbird?"

"I think so. The one book where the white lawyer was defending the black man for rape?"

"Yes sort of there's a lot more to the story than that but yes that's the one. Well, the little girl in the story her nickname was Scout. She was always getting into fights and being a tomboy. My dad loves that book it's one of his favorite books he has ever read. Well, he always told me I reminded him of Scout so he has been calling me Scout since I was 5 years old."

"I see," he says, "I think it's cute."

"Thanks," I say as my dad comes into the living room and clears his throat. "Yes, Daddy?" I ask.

"Can I borrow Joe for a moment?"

"Um, sure," I say.

"It's all right. I just want to talk to him for a minute. I'll be nice I promise," he says.

"Okay," I say.

Joe stands up from the couch and follows my dad out of the living room and I believe they are heading to his office. It makes me wonder what they could be talking about.

 **JOE's POINT OF VIEW:**

I nervously walk into Mark's office as he shuts the door behind me. "Please have a seat, Joe."

"Okay," I say as I take a seat on the leather sofa in his office. I look around the room and see a deer with antlers mounted on the wall.

"What are your intentions with my daughter?" he asks pacing back and forth.

"I love your daughter very much," I say, "my intentions are to one day marry her and love her the rest of my life and the rest of hers. My intentions are to give her the life she dreams of and support her in everything she wants to do with her life. My intentions are to love your daughter."

"I see," he says. "Willow may be 24 going on 25 soon but she is still my little girl. I don't want to see her hurt. I love my little girl with my heart and soul. To you, you see a beautiful woman that you want to marry and protect, a woman that you want to love but to me I see her as my little girl. The little redheaded freckled faced baby girl I held shortly after she was born. The one I raised and watched grow up. I have seen her heart get hurt many times and it hurts me. I don't like to see her upset or hurt. I know you would never hurt her but I want you to know that Willow's happiness means a lot to me. She seems to be head over heels for you. She seems to really love you and while I think you two are moving incredibly fast she is happy. This is the happiest I have seen her in a long time. I just want you two to slow it down a bit and enjoy your time together. I know you're 30 years old but she's just getting out there in life and living her freedom. Please be gentle with her."

"Mr. Cal, I mean Mark, I will do my best to be gentle with her and love her like she deserves. I will do everything in my power to make sure she is happy. I will never hurt her. I am aware that she is 5 years younger than me that is why I will not rush anything with her. I want her to enjoy life at 24 or 25 years old. I am not going to pressure her into anything. When she's ready to move up to the next level then we'll do it but right now I am just enjoying it being the two of us and enjoying my time with her. I know I am probably far more experienced than her and I have a daughter but I will never disrespect your daughter or treat her less than a queen."

"Thank-you, Joe, I'm glad you understand. I just want her to be happy and I know you make her happy but I don't want to see her get hurt. She's still a little young yet in my eyes but she knows what she wants. I don't underestimate her ability to choose but like I said do not hurt my baby girl or I'm going to need to hurt you," he says making me laugh nervously but I don't think he's joking.

"You have my word, Sir, I will not hurt your little girl. I will do everything in my power to take care of her and make sure she's happy. I promise."

"I was watching you with her and I love the way you treat her. I love the way you look at her like she's the only girl in the world for you. I love how you respect her and treat her like a lady. I just want you to take care of my baby girl. I'm not going to be around forever. I need to make sure Willow has a man that will take care of her and look out for her."

"She is the only girl in the world for me," I say with a smile. He smiles back at me and pats me on my shoulder.

"Very good," he says, "very good, Son," he says.

"Willow is my fragile little Lady Bug. I will do whatever I need to protect her and love her." I say.

"Now, Joe, you and I both know that Willow wouldn't like being compared to a lady bug."

"That's very true but Mr. Calaway, I mean, Mark, I'm sincere when I tell you that I truly love your daughter and I see us having a future together."

"I hear the sincerity, Son," he says with a nod. "Take good care of my baby girl."

"I will, I promise," I say as I put out my hand for him to shake but he surprises me when he tells me to stand up to give him a hug. I feel very welcomed by the Undertaker, my girlfriend's father. The man that created the woman I'm going to marry someday. I'm in his good graces, which means everything to me.

 **LATER THAT NIGHT:**

"I had fun at your dad's house today," I say as Willow and I are lying in our bed together as I am holding her in my arms resting my chin on her bare shoulder as my arms are wrapped around her waist.

"I'm glad," she says, "you two got along pretty well. I like to see my two favorite guys get along. That means a lot to me. You are really important to me and so is my daddy. He held my heart first and you're going to hold my heart forever and hold it last. I need you two to get along and respect each other for me."

"And we're going to do that. I think he knows how I feel about you. He knows that I'm sincere when I say that I love you and want a future with you."

"He wants me to be happy and wants me to have a good man. I think he's happy that I'm happy and that I found something better than good, I found the best. I love you so much, Joe and I want this future with you. I want to get married some day and dare I say it some time when I'm much older I want to have kids with you. Maybe 1 or 2 but I want to have kids with you and make you a daddy again. It won't be till I'm 28 years old or 30 years old but that's what I want as long as that's what you want."

"Willow," I say as I kiss her shoulder. "I want whatever you want. Whatever makes you happy I will do to make you happy."

"But it's not just about me, Joe, it's not just my happiness. I want you to be happy too. I want you to do things and have things that will make you happy. If you don't want any more kids we don't have to think about it but it's something I've been thinking about lately ever since Pensacola."

"Willow, I do want to have more kids someday but right now I want to enjoy you and me together. I like what we have going on now. You're 24 years old we have plenty of time to talk about babies and the future. Let's just focus on our present and enjoy each other. What is it that you always say? Life is what happens when you're busy making plans?"

"Right," she says as I kiss her neck softly as she lets out a little moan. "Let life happen and live for today," she says as she turns to face me.

"What are you doing?" I ask as she straddles me.

"I'm enjoying you and enjoying us," she says with a smile before she kisses my lips softly as I wrap my arms around her waist, rubbing her back softly as she deepens the kiss as her arms are resting on my shoulders. "You must be enjoying it," she says with a smile as my erection is forming and pressing against her thigh.

"It's what you do to me," I say with a smile before her lips are on mine again. I help her out of her baby blue t-shirt and expose her full breasts. I take them into my hand and massage them softly as she lets out a soft moan. My lips cover one of her breasts as I lick over her hardened nipple before I suck it softly while I massage and knead the other breast. I lay her down on the bed on her back towering over her. My lips take control of her soft body as I kiss every inch of her body as she squirms from my touch. I spend extra time around her belly button as it is her weakest spot and the spot she likes me to pay attention to. She moans out in pleasure as I kiss around her navel and dip my tongue inside of it softly I make my way down her body and pull her light blue lace panties off and kiss around her sex softly. I spread her legs gently before I dip my tongue into her sex, making love to her softly with my tongue.

"Joe," she moans as my tongue pleasures her and makes love to her hitting all her sensitive spots. I hear her cry out as her body starts to quiver and shake. A moan and cry of pleasure escapes her soft lips as she can't hold back anymore and she reaches her climax, her hot juices on my tongue as I lick them up softly. "God, I love you," she says as she's panting through her climax. I remove my tongue from inside of her sex and replace it with my fingers. I have to get her ready for me or she will be hurt and bruised in the morning. I slide my fingers deep inside her sex, making love to her with my fingers slowly and then faster. She shakes and quivers and cries out as she reaches her climax again and then again after that. "Joe, make love to me," she says. "I need you now." I smile at her before I lick her hot juices off my fingers and stand up. I remove my briefs exposing my hard and painful erection. There's pre-cum already on my cock as I tower over her. I tease her with my cock as I take it over her sex, grinding it against the opening of her sex. "Joe, Please," she begs me.

"Your body is so perfect, Willow, it's so beautiful and soft," I say as I rub my hand over her flat stomach.

"Joe," she says breathless, "Please, Baby." I smile as I enter her softly and gently allowing her to adjust to my thickness and my size before I slide deeper inside of her. She groans out in pleasure, "yes, Baby," she says as I start to move, making love to her deep, keeping my pace slow, hitting every spot that I know is sensitive to her as my body covers her. Skin to skin, her velvet skin sweating beneath mine as I take her lips to mine and kiss her deeply and passionately as I continue my soft, deep thrusts inside of her, making love to her passionately, having her beg me for more. Her hands are on my back. I feel her getting close, her sex tightening around my thick erection, her nails digging into my back as she cries out in pleasure covering my cock with her hot juices. I continue to make love to her through her climax and shortly after she's having another climax and another after that. I bury my head in the crook of her neck, and bite her shoulder softly, sucking on it as I feel the passion tearing through my body. My cock throbbing, growing fuller and thicker, I thrust into her one last time and spurt my seed deep inside of her as I kiss her lips softly. I release my final drop of semen inside of her before I pull out gently. "I love you," she says before we share a deep kiss.

"I love you too," I say with a smile as I look into her deep blue need you eyes. "You're so beautiful," I say as I lay myself down next to her taking her into my arms, stroking her soft skin as I kiss her shoulder. "You're just so perfect, Willow. I love you."

"I love you," she says with a smile as she turns to face me and kisses my lips softly. "Forever and always," she says making me smile before we tangle ourselves up in the sheets and fall asleep holding onto one another, this is what I want forever.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Roman and Undertaker? Do you think Taker accepted Roman a lot better this time? Do you think he finally sees that Roman isn't a bad guy? How do you think it went all together? What do you think about Taker wanting to talk to Roman about not hurting Willow? Do you think that talk went well? What do you think of Willow deciding that she finally wants kids? Do you think she has wanted them all along but was just too scared to think about the future? What did you think of their night together? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	24. Chapter 24

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. THey were greatly appreciated. Thank-you so much***

"Make it stop," Willow groans as the alarm on my phone starts to go off at 4:30 in the morning a couple days before Night of Champions. I reach over removing the arm I have wrapped around her soft and warm body to turn it off with a groan of my own. Willow and I are not early morning people. If we have a free day we usually don't wake up until 10 or 11 in the morning. We live late nights and sleep in. "It's too early."

"I know, Baby," I say as I turn my attention back to her wrapping her back up in my arms after I turn the alarm off. "I'm sorry. You can go back to sleep. I'll be quiet. I need to take a shower and get ready to go."

"But it's so early," she says. "Do you really have to go?" she asks snuggling into my chest and burying her face into my firm chest. "I don't want you to go," she says.

"Believe me if I didn't have to go I wouldn't go. I'd stay here and cuddle with my girl a little more," I say with a smile before I kiss the top of her head. "But with Night of Champions a couple days away we're having a media day. You know how much I love those."

"I know," she mumbles into my chest. "What all is on your agenda today?"

"A couple radio appearances, I have an autograph signing later today and a few TV interviews. It's going to be a busy day and then before Night of Champions I have a Make a Wish event to attend to. I'm actually looking forward to that. And somewhere today I have a meeting with Hunter and Vince about where they have me headed in my career."

"Those are always fun, maybe you're doing your heel turn anyway."

"Maybe," I say. "I guess I have to get ready. I'm meeting Dean in about a half hour downstairs in the lobby."

"All right," she says, "I love you, Baby. Have a good day, what if someone brings up you and me? What are you going to say?"

"That people can speculate but it's not the truth if that's what you want me to say."

"I don't want anyone to know about us. Let them speculate."

"Okay," I say. "I'm going to take a quick shower and get ready to meet Dean. You have a good day. I'll see you later. You get some sleep."

"Okay," she says as she looks up at me with her blue green eyes full of sleep. "I love you."

"I love you too," I say before I lean down and kiss her lips softly before I get out of bed to take a shower and get ready for my media day. Media Days can be days from Hell. You go from one radio show to another and then from one TV show to another then you're tied up with autograph signings and different appearances. They start early in the morning too. It's Hell but the only thing you can really do is enjoy them. It promotes the company and it promotes us. It's always good when you're asked to do media appearances. It means they think highly of you so to object would be career suicide no matter how early your day starts you take the opportunity and prove to the heads that you are ready for the next step in the company and ready to carry the company.

I meet Dean down in the hotel lobby just about 5 minutes later than I was supposed to. Luckily for me Dean isn't a morning person either so he was 10 minutes late so he never even knew I was late. "Morning, Bro," he says.

"Morning," I say handing him a cup of coffee that I got while I was waiting for him. "I figured you needed this. The day is already kicking my ass."

"Thanks," he says as he takes a sip of it. "These early mornings kick my ass all the time."

"Mine too," I say as we walk out the door. "But at least we were asked to make media appearances. That's always good," I say taking a sip of my own coffee.

"That's true," he says, "Did you have a rough night?" he asks as we get into my rental car.

"It wasn't a rough night but it was a long one. Willow and I probably only slept about 2 hours before my alarm went off. What about you?"

"Didn't even sleep," he says as I start the car. "I'm going to crash sometime after the show tonight. Heading to the gym today?"

"At some point," I say as I pull out of the hotel lobby and make my way to the main road of New Orleans, Louisiana. "You?"

"I don't know it depends on what all happens today," he says. "How is everything with Willow going for you?"

"Pretty good," I say. "She did ask that I don't talk about our relationship if the question comes up in one of the interviews today. I don't blame her. She likes to keep stuff private. People don't need to know what's going on in our lives or in our bedroom for that matter."

"Renee is the same way, well, actually I am. There will be no mention of my relationship with Renee either. I'm with Willow on this one. Why should it matter what we're doing with the women we're dating."

"Technically, Willow and I are past the dating stage," I say with a smile, "we're living together and sleeping together. We don't really date too much anymore."

"Does that bother you?" he asks.

"It doesn't bother me because we still find things to do together. We just both enjoy going out to dinner occasionally but Willow is an amazing cook. I love her cooking that's why I'm getting so thick. She keeps me full. You should come over for dinner some time when we get back to Tampa if you want to come spend a few days with us and bring Renee along."

"I'll see what Renee wants to do. Don't get too out of shape now, you need that energy for our match at Night of Champions."

"I know," I say. "but she knows how to cook so most nights she does all the cooking and I do the dishes. Then we play games or watch movies. We lead a boring life but I wouldn't have it any other way."

"You two sound like an old married couple," he says with a chuckle.

"Speaking of marriage," I say, " I want to marry her."

"What? You two haven't been together that long, how are you already thinking about marriage?"

"Relax, I know that but have you ever just met someone and you know that they're the one that you want to spend the rest of your life with? Someone you know that you want to be with the rest of your life?"

"I think so yes," he says, "is that how you feel about Willow?"

"Willow is different. I love being with her. I love talking to her and spending time with her. I want to marry her someday. We have talked about it and it's something I want to do. I'm not saying I'm asking her to marry me tomorrow but I was thinking maybe in a few months probably after Wrestlemania. I think that would be a great time to propose to her what do you think?"

"I think that if Willow makes you happy and that you truly love her then you should do whatever your heart tells you to do. I know Willow and I have our differences and that we haven't really always gotten along but I can tell she makes you happy. This is the first time I have seen you this happy in a long time. When Vanessa left to go to California a couple years ago you were devastated and it was hard to watch. It was like you wanted to give up living. You didn't believe in love anymore and you just slept with whatever woman came your way and that was good enough for you, no attachment but when you met Willow everything changed. You changed. You became happier. You wanted more than just sex you wanted to love again. Willow did change you and I see that. I think you two make each other happy and honestly you two together are a really good fit. Plus she would probably kick your ass if you cut out of line but you two together are beautiful. You two know this business as you both grew up in it. I'm happy that you're happy. I know Willow and I don't always get along but I'm glad you found someone that makes you happy. I say you do whatever you feel is the right thing to do. If you think you want to marry her then go for it."

"Wow," I say, "what's gotten into you?" I ask.

"Nothing can't I just want my best friend to be happy?"

"A few months ago you were tearing Willow apart now you're supporting our relationship, could it be that you're in love?"

"Maybe," he says taking a sip of coffee. "I could be in love. Renee makes me feel different. I can't describe it but I feel like I may be in love with her."

"I know that feeling all too well," I say with a smile as I take a sip of my coffee, "you've got it bad."

"So do you," he says. "I guess we're just two fools in love but I do feel like I owe Willow an apology for the way I have been treating her lately. She didn't deserve that but I do owe her an apology for my behavior."

"I'm sure an apology would be appreciated," I say, "I met her dad again."

"How did it go the second time around?" he asks.

"A lot better than the first time, he just loves Willow a lot. He told me that he just wants her to be happy and that if I hurt her he's going to hurt me. I'm pretty sure that was a promise more than a threat," I say, "but we got along pretty well this time. The last time probably wasn't the best way to meet him."

"Probably not," he says. "I'm glad it went better this time for you. What's the Undertaker really like?"

"He's a good man," I say, "nothing like you have seen. He's big on family and he loves his kids a lot. He's great to talk to and if you need advice about anything you can go to him I'm sure. He's a really good man. He's a Christian man that believes in family. He can be intimidating but once you get comfortable around him he's not too bad."

"That's good. I'm glad you two get along now."

"Me too," I say, "it's always great to get along with your future father in law," I say as I pull into the parking lot of the radio station for our first radio appearance. "Are you ready for this?"

"As ready as I'm ever going to be," he says as I park the car.

We get out of the car and make our way into the building of the radio show where we're greeted by the radio personalities and greeted by the producers of the show and some of their family members. We take a few pictures and sign a few autographs for them before they invite us to have bagels or donuts and some more coffee. The more coffee I have the more awake I'll be for our interview. They lead us into the room they are filming the show and get us hooked up to a head set as we take a seat. They start the show after a three count. "We're standing live with WWE Superstars Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns," says Dave the host of the show. "You two have a big tag team match this Sunday at Night of Champions against the Wyatt family."

"Yes," says Dean, "it's one of our biggest matches."

"And there's a mystery partner that you are tagging with right?"

"Yes," I say, "we have a mystery partner that will be our tag team partner against the Wyatt family. Dean and I could go in 2 on 3 and still come out on top but we want to even the playing field."

"So there has been a lot of speculation on who your tag team partner could be. Can you give us any hints on who you're planning on tagging with?"

"We can't give any hints away," says Dean, "but people won't be disappointed is all we can say. People know our tag team partner and they have loved him for a while."

"You two have a big hike you're in New Orleans today and Houston on Sunday?"

"Yes, we're in Houston on Sunday," I say with a nod. "We have some appearances to do today and a show tonight and then we're on our way to Houston."

"Does traveling ever tire you out? How do you handle traveling so much, you go from town to town pretty much every night, how do you make it work?"

"It works when you have traveling buddies," I say, "Dean and I usually travel together. It's exhausting but after a while you get used to it. We usually get a couple days off during the week Wednesdays and Thursdays are our down days unless we do an international tour which is coming up in a couple months and pay per view weeks. Most of the time we fly but most of the time we drive from place to place. It helps to have that buddy to drive halfway and then you drive halfway. We usually leave one show and head to the next town for the next show driving almost all night. We barely sleep because then we're up early hitting the gym and arriving at the arena."

"So you two travel together, do other superstars do the same thing?" he asks.

"Yeah, it's an unwritten rule in the company that you always have a traveling buddy. Some cars have like 4 or 5 guys in them. We just travel together."

"So it's just you two?" he asks.

"Yeah," I say lying. Neither of us wants to say that our girlfriends travel with us.

"So Roman," he says, "there's been some speculation that you could turn heel on Dean what would that mean for you two if you were to turn against him?"

"Not going to happen," I say, "Dean and I are brothers. We're not turning against one or the other. We're not like that weasel Seth Rollins."

"So there's no chance of either of you turning against each other on Sunday?" he asks.

"No," says Dean, "what Roman and I have is unbreakable. No way either of us is going to break that bond. I have his back and he has mine. In a world where no one ever really cared about you it feels good to have someone that you can trust and depend on."

"Okay," says Dave, "I'm going off the books here and ask about personal lives, Roman," he says, "there's speculation that you're dating a certain diva that is related to the Undertaker is that true?"

"People are always going to speculate what they want to and interpret things the way they want but speculation isn't fact. I'm dating someone but I'm not dating Storm. We are good friends though but we are not dating," I say speaking half the truth. I am dating Willow not Storm just like she's dating Joe Anoa'i and not Roman Reigns.

"Fair enough, would you ever date a diva?" he asks.

"Maybe," I say, "if there was an attraction there and everything could work out yeah," I say. "But to clear up some stuff I am dating someone, a wonderful woman that I love a lot."

"How do you make a relationship work while you're out on the road so much?"

"It's hard," I say, "but we make it work."

"What about you, Dean, would you ever date a diva?"

"No," he says, "I would never date a diva. It's too much drama and I don't want any part of that."

"I see," he says, "so back to the match on Sunday, you and the Wyatt's have had some bad blood for a while. Do you think that this Sunday will be the end of your bad blood and your feud?"

"I don't think it will ever be over," says Dean. "Those Wyatt boys never know when to quit. I think it's far from over. We're never going to be best friends and we're never going to go out for beers after a show. We're never going to be done with this. It might be down for a bit but it will never be over," he says.

"Dean speaks the truth, what we have going on with Bray and his creepy family is far from over. We're going to be 90 and still have this bad blood between us."

"That's a long time," he says with a laugh, "but I get your point. What's your next step after this?"

"I don't know," I say, "I would like to get back into the title picture but we'll see where this goes."

"And Dean?"

"I would like to get back in the title picture as well. It's been too long and I still have some unresolved issues with Seth. I think we both do but I would love to get back into the title picture."

"I hope that works out for both of you," says Dave, "we're about out of time. Thank-you for coming onto the show today."

"Thank-you for having us," we say together.

"And don't forget to catch Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose on Night of Champions this Sunday on the WWE Network or through your cable provider at 7 pm," says Dave before he ends the show. The first media appearance didn't go as bad as I thought it would go and before I know it Dean and I are on our way to our next media appearance. The busy lives of a WWE superstar never ends but it's one hell of a ride. It makes me glad that Willow grew up in the business and she knows how hectic it can get because she has her own media days so she understands the craziness of life and understands why sometimes we can't spend time together without getting upset.

 ***A/N: What do you think about Dean's change of mind when it comes to Willow and Roman? Do you think that him being in love has something to do with it? What do you think about him giving Willow and apology? Do you think she deserves one? What do you think of Roman bringing up marriage to Dean? Is it too soon to think about that? What are your thoughts on their interview with the radio station? Do you think Willow and Roman get along so well because they both understand the hectic crazy lifestyle of the WWE? Do you think it would be different if one of them suddenly couldn't travel all the time with the other? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	25. Chapter 25

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much.***

"So," says Hunter as we are sitting in his office in the arena before Night of Champions. Vince and Hunter sit on one leather couch while I sit on another. "Creative has been talking about the next direction they want to take with your character and your career," he says.

"Okay," I say, "I'm ready for anything. If you want to change my character I am okay with that if you want to turn me heel, I'm all right with that. I just want something. I'm eager for anything you've got," I say with a smile. I am ready to move on past my feud with Bray Wyatt and focus on something else like getting back into the title picture. I had a taste of it back in the spring. I was dying to get back into the main event picture to get my shot at the championship. I had come so close at Wrestlemania until they changed the plans last minute and Seth became the champion before me. Then I had a couple months of retribution where I went for the championship in a Fatal Four way but I came up short once again. I was then in a ladder match at Money in The Bank. I wanted to win so I could cash in any time to go for the championship unfortunately creative had different ideas and I started my feud with Bray Wyatt. Don't get me wrong I have enjoyed working with Bray but I'm ready to move on with my career and ready for a new feud whatever it may be.

"Well, we decided that tonight will not end your feud with Bray Wyatt. We want you and Bray to have one last match next month at Hell in A Cell in a Hell in a Cell match," says Hunter. "This will be the end of your feud with Bray Wyatt. Then we're going to move you onto a new feud one that we have been wanting to see since last year when you went out because of your hernia surgery," he says. He reminds me of last year around this time I was rushed to the hospital with a hernia and got surgery that put me out of action for a few months. It really slowed down my career and took me out of the picture for a while. "We want you to get into a feud with Seth Rollins. We are going to have you go for the championship at Survivor Series. We want to promote you as the top face of the company," he says. "With John Cena taking some time off soon we need a top face and we want to use you as the top face. We're going to put you in a feud starting after Hell in A Cell, it will be short lived though as we have plans to have Dean Ambrose turn on you at Survivor Series costing you the championship setting up a feud between the two of you that will carry on into the Royal Rumble. Once the Royal Rumble is over you will have bigger things to focus on. There was a special request that we have taken into consideration and we have decided to grant the request. You will have the biggest match of your career at Wrestlemania," he says. I'm in awe. Everything is happening so fast. They're talking about my first Hell in A Cell match with Bray Wyatt, then talking about having a feud with Seth and going for the championship, then telling me Dean is going to turn on me to start a feud between us and then they are talking about me having the biggest match of my career at Wrestlemania. Everything is going faster than I had ever expected to. I just thought I would find out what's going on the next couple months not well into Mania season.

"So I'm going for the championship but not really winning it?" I ask.

"Not this time, Roman. We are looking at making you champion next spring," he says.

"Next spring?" I ask, "so I have no chance of getting that championship belt any time soon?"

"Well, here's the thing," says Vince, "we want to keep the belt on Seth until Wrestlemania. Now you, Dean and Seth were supposed to have a Triple Threat match for the championship at Mania but like we said you are going to be involved in a different match at Mania next year so Dean and Seth will face off with each other for the championship and then after Mania that's when you'll step in to get your chance at the title until then we have no plans of putting the championship on you at this time."

"I see," I say, "I'm okay with that." I'm frustrated but I understand backstage politics and I understand how I'm not exactly over with all the fans. My fan base has gotten much better since the Royal Rumble but there are still haters out there that tear me apart and a few of them are on the creative team in WWE. A lot of people don't believe I'm ready to carry the company and don't believe I am ready to hold the championship. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever be ready. I would love to be champion someday but I don't make the decisions. "And what's my big match at Mania? Are you able to reveal that or no?" I ask.

"Well," says Hunter, "Taker requested to have his last match with you at Mania." I'm shocked. Willow's dad is having his last match at Mania this coming year and he requested to have it with me. I am not sure how I feel but shocked. That's quite an honor, a big honor.

"Are you serious?" I ask. "Taker is retiring this year and he wants to have his last match with me?"

"It's what he requested," says Hunter. "Taker has a lot of pull around here and he is one of the few veterans we have around here. Whatever he wants he gets. He requested to have his last match with you. While some people don't think you're ready for a match of that caliber they have decided to grant him his wishes. It's going to be a big match, probably the biggest match of your career. It isn't to be taken lightly."

"I don't expect to take it lightly," I say with a smile but still confused about why Mark chose me to face him at Mania, that's going to be hard for Willow to watch. She's going to be torn between the two men she loves the most in life. I'm truly honored for a match with Taker; he's a legend in this business and it means so much to me.

"We will be discussing more details as we get closer to these events. Right now we want you to focus on your tag team match tonight against the Wyatts and then worry about Hell in A Cell. We'll talk about the championship match at Survivor Series and your push you are getting," says Hunter. "We also want you to be a spokesperson and one of the main faces for WWE's Breast Cancer campaign coming up in the next month. Would you be interested in doing some commercials and promoting breast cancer awareness?" he asks.

"Of course," I say with a smile. "I will do anything that you ask me to do."

"Wonderful," he says with a smile. "Thank-you for taking the time to meet with us today, we have some big plans for you, Roman. This is just the beginning and the first step."

"Thank-you," I say as I shake their hands before I take my leave from their office and make my way to find Willow.

I make my way to my locker room and smile as I walk in to see Willow on the ground stretching looking at her Diva's championship as she is listening to music. She's wearing new ring gear. It's very appealing to my eyes and it leaves very little to the imagination. Her light blue hologram shorts come to the upper thigh showing of her beautiful tan legs but I know she will have some type of legwear on with her sneakers she usually does to hide those beautiful soft tan legs she wears a blue and green hologram top that shows of her mid-drift and her perfect abs, I have never seen a woman with abs like Willow's. The top ties behind her neck and she shows off her muscular but not too muscular arms. Her hair is up in a ponytail and her curls are falling to her upper back. I admire the view a little more before I walk over behind her and place my hands on her shoulders startling her. "Damn it, Joe, you scared the shit out of me," she says taking her ear buds out of her ears as she turns around to face me.

"Sorry I couldn't resist," I say with a smile as I help her up off the floor by extending my hand to her. She places her small hand into mine and stands up. "New ring gear?" I ask looking her over. She looks as hot as ever but not just hot but beautiful too.

"You like?" she asks with a smile as I keep her hand into mine.

"Leaves a little to the imagination doesn't it?" I ask. "That's a lot of cleavage," I say looking at her chest area.

"First," she says lifting my chin with her free hand, "my eyes are up here, second of all I barely have cleavage. And third," she says moving closer to me and playing with my vest as she looks up into my eyes with her beautiful blue-green eyes, "All of this is yours. It belongs to no one else but you. Don't worry about it. I picked this out special for you."

"And all the males in the audience," I say wrapping my arm around her bare waist. "I don't like them seeing so much of you."

"At the end of the night, Baby, it's you I'm going home with and it is you that I will be sleeping with. This is yours. They get to look but can't touch you on the other hand can look and can touch," she says with a smile.

"I like what I'm looking at," I say with a smile as I let go of her hand and bring my hand to the nape of her neck. "It's beautiful, Willow," I say with a smile, "and second of all, your breasts are rather plump."

"Plump?" she asks, "hardly, try again barely any cleavage."

"They are enough for me," I say with a smile. "All of you is good enough for me. I love everything about you but most importantly, I love your brain. You're so smart and intelligent. I like your wit. Intelligence is the most beautiful quality a woman could have," I say pulling her closer to me as she wraps her arm around my waist. "I love you, Baby Girl," I say before I lean down and capture her lips with mine and kiss her deeply. I pull away from her reluctantly leaving us both breathless. "Later, we'll finish that," I say with a smile as we make our way over to the leather couch in the room. "You ready for your match tonight?"

"More than ready," she says with a smile. "I'm ready to fight Charlotte. Hunter and Vince told me they want me to be Divas Champion until Wrestlemania and then I will lose the belt."

"That's pretty good," I say with a smile as we cuddle up on the couch. I hold her in my arms as she takes her usual place on my side resting her head on my chest. "How do you feel about that?"

"I'm just glad I have held the championship this long, holding it till Wrestlemania means a lot to me," she says. "It's quite an honor. I just want to make my daddy proud you know?"

"I'm sure you already do," I say with a smile.

"So how did your meeting with Hunter and Vince go?" she asks. "Everything good?"

"Better than good," I say with a smile as she lays her legs on top of mine snuggling closer to me. "The feud with Bray is ending next month at Hell in A Cell," I say, "we're going to battle it out in the cell."

"Wow, you're having a Hell in a Cell match too so is my dad," she says.

"He is?" I ask.

"Yeah, him and Brock her having a fight in the cell next month, he told me about it a while ago. I'm not thrilled about it and I told him I won't be watching him. It's too much."

"I understand," I say, "are you going to watch my match?"

"I don't know," she says, "Maybe. Just don't get hurt. I can't handle you getting injured."

"I'll be fine," I say reassuring her.

"What happens after that?" she asks. "Did they say what you're doing after Bray?"

"Yes, I will have a match against Seth at Survivor Series for the championship."

"Well, listen to you, Big Daddy," she says making me smile. "You're finally getting a shot at the title tell me are you going to win?"

"Probably not, Dean is supposed to turn on me and start our feud that will go through the Rumble," I say, "and then I'm supposed to fight your dad at Mania."

"You are?" she asks but she's hardly shocked or not as shocked as I had expected her to be.

"Yeah, that's crazy huh? Your dad could have any match with anyone but he chose to have a match with me at Mania and not only that but his last match," I say.

"That is pretty crazy," she says as she rubs my arm. "How are you feeling about that?"

"I'm excited and honored and a little nervous. That's a really big match for someone like me. Undertaker requested to have a match with ME. Who would have thought?"

"Are you marking out over my dad?" she asks with amusement.

"I'm marking out over a match with your dad. Your dad scares the crap out of me, Willow and now I'm wrestling him. I'm scared as shit. What if I screw up?"

"I think my dad respects you a lot more than you give him credit for if he didn't he wouldn't have asked to have a match with you. I think he's trying to help you. He wants to help you with your career. Let's be honest, having a match with my dad is going to boost your career tremendously. There will be no going back, you will never be the same again. This is good for you and my dad wants to see you on top. He respects you, Roman. He believes you were made for this business and you belong here. While you have those haters he is one of those that believe in you," she says, "I would take great honor in that."

"I am honored," I say with a smile. "How are you feeling about it?"

"I'm happy for both of you. You know my dad wants his last match in WWE to be special. That's why he chose you. He wants to pass the torch to you. I'm happy that you get to wrestle my dad it's going to be great for you. I respect both of you and I will remain neutral in that match. I'm just really excited for you."

"What about it being your dad's final match?"

"I knew for months my dad was thinking about retiring. That's why he's doing so many appearances this year because it is his 25th year in the company. My dad has sacrificed a lot for 25 years and he has done a lot in 25 years he's ready to be done. I never thought I could see WWE without him but it is bound to happen. He's stepping behind the scenes. His body can't take it much more and he's just ready to retire. I respect his decision. It may break my heart because him being in WWE is all I have ever known. I want him to be able to be a dad and spend time with my little sisters. I want him to be able to be with Michelle and enjoy life outside of WWE. I want him to do whatever makes him happy and I want him to be able to enjoy his grandchildren someday."

"Grandchildren?" I ask. I think I sound more startled than I want to but I relax at the thought of Willow and I having children. We're still working on that and deciding on a number.

"Yes, grandchildren, if we're going to have kids, Roman we're having more than one," she says making me smile.

"I'm all right with that," I say with a smile, "when do you want to start trying?"

"When I'm 30," she says, "I'm not even 25 years old yet give me some time besides I like enjoying you."

"I like enjoying you too," I say with a smile before I kiss her lips softly. "I guess I should get ready for my match."

"Same here, I have to go meet up with Charlotte to go over a few things," she says before she kisses my lips again. "I'll be back soon."

"All right, Baby Girl," I say with a smile as I reluctantly let her go.

 **LATER THAT NIGHT:**

After a disappointing tag team match with Dean, Y2J and myself I get set to watch Willow have a match with Charlotte. I love watching these two wrestle. They are able to steal a show no problem. They can really get the crowd into the match and for the first time in a long time I enjoy women's wrestling again. Charlotte and Willow may be the two strongest women competitors in the company which is good for them. I stand by a monitor in the back and watch as Willow makes her entrance to a thunderous crowd. There is no doubt she is a fan favorite. She hands the ref her belt after she does her normal poses in the ring. The ref has the bell rung and the match is underway. From Willow's first move set I know she is hurt as she landed weirdly on her leg and her knee twisted a certain way. She sat in the ring holding her knee for a few minutes before she finally shook it off and got up to continue the fight. The ref asked her over and over if she wanted to continue. She's a fighter she's not going to stop whether she is hurt or not. She kept going limping and hopping around in the match but she finally got the 3 count over Charlotte.

As soon as the match was over Willow took her championship from the ref, held it up in the air and hobbled around the ring before she sat down in the middle of the ring and removed one of her leg pieces to her outfit. Her knee looked bad, really bad the ref signaled for others to come to the ring and like her dad she is as stubborn as they come. She wouldn't let them wheel her out on a stretcher to the back, she had to walk out on her own. She hobbled up the ramp as the refs stood next to her as she walked to catch her if she stumbled. I hurried to meet her at the curtain and as soon as she was behind the curtain I caught her in my arms to help escort her to the trainer. "What happened?" I asked wrapping my arm around her bare waist as she wrapped her arm around mine for support as we walked through the back.

"I don't know," she says, "something popped. It hurts like a bitch," she says through gritted teeth and the pain clear on her face.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Roman's meeting with Vince and Hunter? Do you like that Roman is so willing to do what they ask of him? Do you think that is what is holding them back from giving him the championship? What do you think about them holding off making him champion till the spring time? what about him having his match with Willow's dad at Mania? What did you think of his reaction? How do you feel about Willow announcing they are going to make Undertaker a grandfather in the near future? How about her hurting her knee in the match? What do you think is wrong with her? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	26. Chapter 26

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. THey were greatly appreciated. THank-you all so much***

 **A FEW DAYS LATER:**

Mark and I are sitting in the waiting room while Willow has surgery done on her knee from a few days ago. When she did her back handspring move she tweaked her knee when it twisted and ended up tearing her ACL and her Meniscus. The surgeon that has done Mark's surgeries is taking care of my baby girl for me and getting her knee all fixed up. She is bummed out because after surgery it is a 6-9 month recovery time for her. She will miss Survivor Series, Royal Rumble and most likely Wrestlemania. She was looking forward to having her first Wrestlemania match the same night her dad has his last match. She has to give up her championship and sit on the sidelines and watch. She knows how the business works, the longer you're off TV the more you're forgotten about. She came into this business fast and made an impression winning her first championship in her first pay-per-view match from someone that is considered to be a veteran in the company. Willow is no different than her father. She is dedicated to the business and her career. She has worked so hard to get where she is and trained for years to make it to the top. It's been tough for her. I know how she feels. I felt the same way when I went out last year to have my own surgery. I wasn't gone nearly as long as she will be but I was still gone for a few months. "You know she's going to be miserable when she wakes up," says Mark.

"I know. She's really taking this hard. I don't know what to do. I have been there so I know what it feels like to be in the middle of a big push and to just lose it all overnight."

"The only thing you can do is be there for her, listen to her complain and whine about it. Willow made the decision to be a wrestler when she was 10 years old and ever since that is what she wanted to do. When I suggested that she go to college for a degree in something that she can fall back on she told me she didn't need to go to college because she knew what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. I had to remind her that wrestling doesn't last forever. I am fortunate to be in this business for 25 years without having any injuries that would end my career but you never know what could happen. I explained to her that wrestling would be there but it doesn't last forever. Anything could happen and if she gets a career threatening injury what is she going to have to do? What if she wants to be a mama but doesn't want to wrestle anymore? Then what does she do? She understood and went to college but didn't give up training. This has been her life for almost 25 years now. She was born into this business and shaped to be in this business. She eats, sleeps and breathes it, being sidelined is going to kill her. You just have to be there for her, encourage her to do her physical therapy so that she can get back into the ring. It's not going to be easy."

"No it's not," I say agreeing with him. "So I heard you want to have a match with me at Mania. Why me?" I couldn't hold back the question any longer. I was curious as to why he had chosen me to have his final match with.

"Because I see a lot of potential in you, whatever WWE isn't seeing I'm seeing. I think you're the future of the company and I want to help with your career. I want to put you in the biggest match of your career so that people are talking about you and so that WWE will finally see everything that I see. I wouldn't want my last match with anyone else."

"It's an honor, Sir," I say, "thank-you."

"Don't thank me," he says, "I just want to see you succeed and reach your goals. I want you to know if you have any questions about anything to come to me. I will give you as much advice as I can. I know your dad had his time in WWE and you probably get advice from him but I'm also willing to give you advice too."

"Thanks," I say with a smile, "there is one thing I'm worried about."

"What's that?" he asks.

"I'm supposed to face Bray Wyatt in Hell in A Cell. I have never had a match like that before. I don't know what to expect."

"It's going to be a brutal match. I have had my share of Hell in A Cell matches. It beats you up. It tears your body apart. You may win the match but you still feel like you lost the next day. The steel is unforgiving. You will never experience anything like it. Granted today's matches aren't as brutal as they used to be. You don't have to worry about being dropped into thumbtacks or having barbed wire raked across your head. I think the most that happens these days are tables and chairs maybe a kendo stick but either way when your body hits that cage wall you're going to feel it. It's a tough match but you can't go in there nervous. You just have to go in there and own the cell. You can't be scared."

"I'm a little apprehensive about it," I say, "I never had a match like this. I don't know what to expect with Bray Wyatt."

"Yeah, he's a different one. You don't know what to expect from him but I'm sure the match will be great. And I'm sure you're going to steal the show. Is Willow worried about it?"

"Of course," I say, "and she's worried about you too."

"I know. She doesn't like the idea of me in a match with Brock Lesnar given everything that has happened the last couple times that I have fought him. I'm in much better shape now and Hell in a Cell is my forte. It's something I have been doing for years. I'm the king of Hell in a Cell. She shouldn't worry as much."

"I think she just cares about us and doesn't want to see us get hurt," I say.

"Yes, I know, Son," he says as silence falls between us and I get lost in my thoughts waiting for the surgery to be over. "Something else on your mind, Son?" he asks.

"I'm just thinking," I say.

"Thinking about what?" he asks.

"It's nothing. I was just thinking about Willow," I say.

"What is it, Roman?" he asks.

"I love her a lot," I say, "I mean a lot. I have never loved someone as much as I love her."

"Are you trying to tell me something, Son?" he asks with a smile on his face as he looks at me. "I'm pretty sure Willow loves you a lot too. You have made her really happy. I never thought she would find someone that can make her as happy as you do. What's on your mind, Son?"

I take a deep breath before I let it out. "You see, I have been thinking and maybe it's too soon to think like this but I have never wanted something as much as I want this. I know it's only been a few months but I love Willow. I can see myself having a future with her. I want to ask her to marry me. I'm not saying it will be today or tomorrow but sometime in the future. I was thinking around Wrestlemania time and taking her away somewhere to propose to her. I want to do something special and make it romantic for her. She reads English lit. She is going to want romance so I want to do something special but I also want to know it's okay to ask her to marry me when it happens."

"Roman, Son," he says crossing his arms. "Willow is my baby girl, she always will be. I love her a lot. She is my entire world with that said I see how much you love her, how much you care about her. It wasn't my dream for my daughter to marry a wrestler but I can't stop you two from loving one another. The way you two look at each other I can see how much you love one another. I want you two to be happy. If you want to marry my daughter you have full permission. I want her to be happy and loved the rest of her life. I know you're a much better man than I was and know you would never hurt her. You have my permission to ask her to marry you but you're right she's into English Lit and Romance novels. She's going to want an unforgettable proposal. You have some time to plan," he says.

"Thank-you, Sir," I say with a smile, feeling relieved because I have wanted to ask him about marrying Willow for a long time now. I just didn't have the courage. I didn't know if he wanted her to marry me or not.

"You don't have to thank me, Son, just take care of my girl," he says as he pats me on the shoulder. "She deserves the best," he says making me smile.

 **AN HOUR LATER:**

"Hey, Beautiful," I say with a smile as I walk into the room to see her in recovery. "How are you feeling?"

"Really good," she says with a smile. "I don't feel anything." I can tell that she's still a little loopy from the surgery and the anesthesia.

"Not yet," I say with a smile as I give her a kiss on the lips. "I love you."

"I love you too," she says, "Why are you so happy?"

"Just thinking about some things," I say with a smile. "Do you need or want anything?"

"No," she says. "So I'm missing Wrestlemania."

"Yeah," I say as I sit down on a chair next to her and take her hand into mine. "But there's always next year. You'll get your Wrestlemania, I promise," I say. "Right now your main concern is to take care of that knee and to get better."

"I know," she says, "and the European tour. I was really looking forward to going on the tour. I have never been to Europe. I wanted to see London and go to Paris. I wanted to go to Italy," she says. "Now I don't get to go."

"It's okay," I say, "I have the money to take you to Italy whenever you want to go. When you're knee is feeling better before you go back to work we'll take a trip to Italy or London wherever you would like to go."

"You promise?" she asks.

"I promise, Baby Girl," I say with a smile. "I would never break a promise to you."

"I won't forget that."

"Neither will I," I say with a smile. "I'll make arrangements when we get home."

"The doctor said that the surgery went well and that I have to remain immobilized for two weeks not doing anything and then I can start doing things but activity is limited. I don't want to be laid up for 2 weeks, Joe."

"I know, Baby Girl but I'll make those two weeks worthwhile. We'll lay in bed and watch movies. I will bring you breakfast in bed and make you dinner we'll eat dinner in bed too. We'll have fun. We won't leave the bedroom."

"Immobilizing means no sex," she says.

"I know I just want to take care of you and spend time with you. It will be good."

"Yeah it will," she says with a smile. "I have to vacate the championship."

"I know, Baby, but I'm sure you'll get another chance. When you come back I'm sure you'll be right back up there in the title picture hunt."

"I hope so," she says.

"I know it's hard but I'm here for you and if you want to vent to me about it I'll listen."

"There's nothing to vent about. I'm injured, I'm out for 6-9 months. It happens. I can't change it now. I'll just have to go to PT and get my knee stronger. Maybe the time off will be good but I don't like the idea of being away from you."

"I know, Baby Girl," I say. "But you can still travel with me."

"Not for two weeks," she says.

"But I took the time off so I'll be home with you. You're going to need someone to take care of you. I'll be your male nurse."

"Mmm," she says with an appreciative smile. "One of the hottest male nurses I've ever seen."

"Yeah," I say with a smile. "If you had to choose to go to Italy or London what would you choose?"

"As beautiful as Italy seems to be I love the English culture and I want to see England. I would love to go to London more than Italy."

"Okay," I say with a smile.

"What are you up to?"

"Nothing," I say with a smile. "What makes you think I'm up to something?"

"The smug look on your face," she says, "you hide nothing."

"I'm just getting an idea of where you would like to go before you return back to the ring."

"Definitely London," she says with a smile.

"You're not a beach type of girl are you?"

"I like the beach but I would much rather enjoy going to England. There is so much I want to see and it is the home of Emily Bronte my favorite author. It would be great to go there."

"I'll see what I can do," I say making her smile. I love to make her smile. I love to be the one to put a smile on her face. I love to make her happy. I would give and do anything to see that smile on her lips.

 **A COUPLE DAYS LATER:**

I'm being hooked up to microphones in my living room as I get prepared to address the WWE universe via satellite about vacating my championship. It's one of the hardest things I'll ever have to do but things happen that we can't control. I don't want to give it up and I would much rather be out on the road than sitting at home but then again I can't control this. I have to suck it up, take the time off and get better. "Are you ready?" asks the camera man. "We're live in 3-2-1," he says before I hear Renee Young introduce me.

"Standing by via satellite Storm," she says with a smile before I am cued to start speaking.

"As I am sure you have already heard I tore my ACL and meniscus at Night of Champions in my match against Charlotte. I'm out of action for 6-9 months and should be coming back some time after Wrestlemania. Unfortunately with being out I have to vacate my Divas Championship. I am vacating the Divas championship right now but I will be back for it. I will be back to get it back. I'm going to take this time to reflect, strengthen my knee and give it time to heal but Divas be warned. I don't care who the Divas champion is when I come back but I will be coming for you and I will come back stronger and better than ever, you're not even going to be ready for the Storm that will hit." I say and that's the end of my speech. The cut the cameras and unhook me. I mean what I said, I'm going to take this time to get stronger and heal up before I get back into the ring next time being stronger and better than before. My recovery starts now.

 ***A/N: what do you think of Willow's injury? Do you think the injury will get the best of her while she's taking the time off? Do you think it will add some tension between her and Roman? What do you think about Roman asking Willow's dad if he could ask her to marry him? What do you think he's planning to do? What about him promising to take her to Europe? How do you think Willow's recovery is going to go? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	27. Chapter 27

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

"That would be great," says Roman as we are sitting in the living room about a week after my surgery. He's on the phone with Vanessa. I give him a questioning look and he holds up a finger to me with a smile. "Just let me know. What made you make that decision?" he asks. "Well, I'm glad you made it. Yes, Willow is doing fine. She's still hurting a little bit but she's doing much better. She's really upset about being sidelined for a while but other than that she's in good spirits. I will let her know. I will talk to you later. Give Alani a kiss for me and tell her I will face time her later. Okay, bye," he says before hanging up his cellphone and placing it down on the stand next to the black leather couch we are sitting on.

"What was that all about? You're really happy to be done talking to Vanessa. What's going on?"

"Well, Vanessa made the choice to move back to Tampa," he says catching me off guard. I wasn't expecting that.

"Really?" I ask.

"Yes," he says, "she wants to move back over Christmas break that way the transition from schools is easier for Lani. I'm excited about this."

"What made her make this decision?" I ask. "It's a sudden decision isn't it?"

"She said it's something she has been thinking about doing for a while. She just wasn't sure she was ready to move back here but she decided it's better for Alani for her to be back in Tampa so that she's closer to us. This whole living in here and them living in California thing is hard for all of us. I don't see Alani nearly as much as I want to or would like to. I see her when I am in town, a couple days over the holidays and a week or so in the summer time. That's hardly enough time with my little girl. I want more time with her, I want to see her more. If it wouldn't have been them moving to Florida I would probably move to California to be with my daughter more."

"Oh," I say. "I'm happy that they are moving here. I'm glad that you'll get to see Alani more but will this cause problems with Vanessa knowing that I live here with you?"

"She won't care. She already knows you and me live together. She knows that Alani will be around you. She's all right with it. I mean after all. She has a boyfriend that lives with her that Alani is around all the time."

"Is he moving here too?" I ask.

"Yeah, I believe he is. I'm not worried about him. I didn't ask. The only thing I am worried about is Alani being in Tampa so that I can see her more than I do now. I want to spend more time with her. I would like to be able to get her Wednesdays till Friday mornings before we head back out on the road. Would you be okay with that?"

"I would love that," I say with a smile. "I love Alani. I can't wait for her to be here in her bedroom. I want to do the mom thing with her well, not trying to take the place of her mom but to be a mother figure to her."

"I know, Baby Girl," he says with a smile.

"You're really happy."

"I'm beyond happy. You have no idea, Willow. She is my entire world. When Vanessa took her to California it broke my heart. I loved being able to tuck her into bed almost every night and read her bedtime stories. I am sure she will read to me now but it was still a night time ritual that I enjoyed. I would love to take her to school and pick her up. I want to have family dinners with her. I just have so much planned that I want to do with her. I need this, Willow."

"I know, Baby," I say with a smile. It makes me happy to see how great of a father he is to Alani. It makes me feel good to see how excited he is about Alani and Vanessa moving back to Tampa. This is something that he wanted so badly. He loves Alani more than anything and I know that she will always be number 1 in his life. I can't wait for the day that I will make him a father and see how amazing he is with our children. It won't be for a while yet but the thought is beautiful. "I know you've wanted this for so long. Is Vanessa going to let you have her the days you want her?"

"I'm sure she will. We never had a disagreement about visitation when it comes to Alani. I am excited because she can see my family again, see her nana and papa, her aunts and her uncles. I want her to have a close relationship with my family too. They hardly see her anymore."

"I know," I say. "I'm really happy about this. It's going to be so much fun having a little one in the house. It's so big for just the two of us."

"I know," he says, "but one day we're going to fill this house up with little feet and little laughter. How many kids do you want to have?" he asks.

"I don't know," I say, "shouldn't we be talking about marriage first before we talk about babies. I mean I want to be married before I have a baby."

"I guess that's true," he says. "But say we were married would you want to start trying right away or would you like to wait a couple years?"

"I would like to wait for my career to be almost over. I know the best time to have a baby is between 25 and 30 because that's when we're most fertile and regular but honestly after this injury I want to wait a little bit before we give Alani a baby brother or a baby sister."

"Hopefully a brother," he says with a heart-melting smile. "I want a little boy so badly but a little girl would do too."

"I don't care either way as long as it's healthy but I know one thing is for sure we will make pretty babies."

"I'm sure we will," he says giving me another one of his beautiful smiles. "I'm not saying it will but what if something happens unexpectedly and we get pregnant before we're married? Then what?"

"Then I guess we're going to elope," I say, "I will not have a baby out of wedlock. Babies are forever no offense to you because I know you have this thing with Vanessa and you two are working together to raise Alani but I don't want that. I want a ring on my finger before I have a baby with you or anyone. I need to be married."

"So if I got you pregnant," he says.

"Which you won't because I have been extremely careful thus far," I say.

"Okay if it happens it happens," he says.

"If it happens then it happens but we'll have to elope if I become 'with child'," I say.

"With child? Who says that in 2015?"

"I do," I say with a smile. "I'm an old soul."

"A very beautiful old soul," he says with a smile before he leans over and kisses my lips softly. "I love you."

"I love you too," I say with a smile.

"And I'll wait till you're ready before we talk about babies but how old do you want to be when you get married?"

"27," I say with a shrug. "Does that seem reasonable?"

"Reasonable enough for me," he says, "as long as I get to marry you."

I smile at him and then say, "do you still love her?"

"Love who?" he asks.

"Vanessa," I say.

"I think a part of me will always love her because she gave me Alani. She gave me the gift of a life but other than that probably not. Vanessa has always been worried about herself. She's always been concerned about her feelings and what she wanted out of life. For the longest time I thought I was in love with her but slowly over time I learned that I was in love with the idea of her. I was going to break up with her and then she got pregnant. I felt it was too late. I had this hope and dream of being a happy family with her but she didn't want that. What she wanted was to be a model and do her thing. Alani was the only kid she ever wanted and at first she didn't even want her. She wasn't the one for me. I will always love her for giving me Alani but I would never fall for her again."

"I see," I say.

"Do you think I would fall for her again? Is that why you asked?"

"It scares me," I say honestly. "It scares me because you two do have a child together so there is a connection there. What if I can't be everything you want? Or be everything you need? It scares me that you could go back to her because I can't be what you need."

"Willow, you're everything I need and everything I could possibly want. You have nothing to worry about. Vanessa is my past. Yes she will always be there because of Alani but we will be friends. I just want to keep things civil with her because she could go psycho baby mama on me and deny me visitation to her. We stayed out of court this long. I don't want to go to court over this. You are everything that I want and everything I need. I want a future with you. I want to marry you, have kids with you. You understand my career, you know me better than anyone else does. I love you, Willow. I'm not going anywhere. You have nothing to be scared of. What I had with Vanessa is NOTHING compared to what I have with you. You're everything to me. You make me happy in ways that Vanessa could and I have never been as happy as I am with you. I want to marry you, make babies with you, grow old with you. I want a life with you. I want a future with you. Willow, you are an amazing woman. I love you more than words will ever say. I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me and all my imperfections and crazy ass lifestyle."

"I guess you're stuck with me too," I say with a smile. "It's just I grew up in a home that wasn't so happy. I understand how Alani feels. My parents weren't together either. I was almost 10 years old when they separated and I just remember I wanted them to be together more than anything but my mama was destructive to everyone around her. She was using my dad for his money. Granted they were married long before he even stepped foot into the company once the money started rolling in my mama started to take advantage of it. My dad was gone all the time; more than my mama had wished so she was using his money to go out and drink. She would meet guys and then cheat on my dad. She destroyed the marriage with her alcoholism and then her drug abuse. She fell into drugs and it destroyed our family completely. She was sucking up the money to feed her habit and my dad caught on. My dad told her to get help or he was done with her. She didn't believe she had a problem so it was over. She moved to Tennessee and my dad stayed in Texas. Due to his work my brother and I went to live with my mama. It was horrible. I hated living with her. Her men in and out of the house, some days she was too drunk to do anything or too high to do anything. I wanted out. I needed to live with my dad although life wasn't exactly stable there would be more stability than I was getting at my mama's house. I wish money didn't come between my parents and that money didn't become my mama's downfall but it did and it destroyed life as I knew it. I wanted nothing more for them to be together, for everything to be the way it was before. My mama was selfish and destructive, she was careless and didn't care about anyone's needs but her own. Then my dad married my second Mama; Sara. I love Sara she has always been more of a mama to me than my own mama. We were really close. She helped me in my teenage years and helped me through them which wasn't easy with living with my dad but Sara knew all about it. I was so close to Sara. She was everything I ever wanted in a mom until she cheated on my dad with Brock Lesnar. That was the end of that. My dad found out and the marriage was over as quickly as it began. I never harbored ill feelings to Sara but I was disappointed in her. I still remain close to her and still talk to her more than my own mama. After seeing everything that has happened with my dad I can't help but to be wary about relationships and cautious. That's my downfall. I am always scared that someone is going to run or I will never be what they need or what they want. That's what scares me. I don't want to be married 3 times trying to be happy. I want one man for the rest of my life, one man to give me a life of happiness, give me children or whatever. I love my dad but I don't want the life that he has lived and having his heart broken time and time again. I don't want that. I just want to be happy and loved," I say with tears in my eyes thinking about my mama and dad. I have never let Roman see me so vulnerable but he needs to know my deepest and darkest fear.

"Baby Girl," he says, "I am going to make you happy and love you the rest of your life. I know you went through some shit when you were little but I would never hurt you in that way. I could never hurt you. I love you so much, Willow."

"I love you too," I say with a soft smile. "Promise me that if we get married it will be for a lifetime."

"You have my word," he says with a smile. "I promise."

 ***A/N: What do you think of Vanessa moving back to Tampa? Why do you think she decided to move back? What about Roman's reaction? Do you think this will cause problems? What do you think about Willow telling Roman she doesn't want to have kids till she's married? What about her opening up to Roman about being scared she won't be what he needs or what he wants? What about her talking about her mom? Do you think her mom is part of the reason she was so hesitant about falling in love with Roman and planning a future with him? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	28. Chapter 28

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. THey were greatly appreciated. THank-you all so much***

 ***I decided to do this chapter in honor of Undertaker's 25 years in WWE. He has given so much time, dedication and made so many sacrifices for his fans and the business. I respect the man that he is inside and outside the ring. THank-you, Taker.***

 **A Month Later:**

"How's the knee?" asks my dad as he brings me a cup of hot tea.

"Doing pretty well," I say, "I'm starting PT this week. I actually can't wait. It's killing me sitting around this house doing nothing but watching TV and reading. You know that's not me."

"I know, Scout," he says as he takes a seat next to me on the couch. "You'll be back soon enough and you'll come back stronger and better than ever."

"I hope so," I say with a smile before I take a sip of my tea. "So the Wyatt family huh?" I ask with amusement. "Where did that come from?"

"Well, you know this is my last run in WWE so I wanted to have one more match with Kane as we tagged together as the Brothers of Destruction. Much like Hell in A Cell your Uncle Glen being my tag team partner and on-screen brother has been a big part of my career. I wanted one last run with him as my partner before it is all over."

"I see," I say, "I'm excited to see the Brothers of Destruction again do you think you're ready for a match against the Wyatts?"

"I'm ready for anything, Scout," he says with a smile. "I take it you saw Hell in A Cell?"

"I watched it. I wasn't impressed in the least by you getting beat up after your match. It could have waited till Raw. It took you so long to get up. I was worried about you. If I had been there regardless of the script or not I would have been out there to help you up. You struggled."

"I'm not as young as I used to be, Scout. My body is getting too old for this. It's been through so much over the last 24 almost 25 years. I have given a lot for this business."

"I know, Daddy and I respect you so much for everything you have done and given to this business. It's just going to be weird without you actually being on the show."

"It's going to be weird for me too but I'm not young anymore," he says, "it's time to give it up. On November 22nd; three days before you 25, will mark the day I made my televised debut in the company. It's been a great 25 years. I have done things I never thought I would do. I have traveled to places I never thought I would and I have left a legacy I never thought I would leave. When I came into the company I was doing it because of my love for the business. It was always something I wanted to do. I didn't care about the championships or the money. I was doing what I loved. I still love this business but I'm 50 years old. I just need to call it quits while I'm ahead. My body isn't getting any younger. I feel it every time I have a match. I feel the beating my bones take and it's getting harder and harder each time. My body is telling me it's over and as much as I want to deny it so is my heart. My heart will always love this business but I have to do what's best for me and Michelle. I don't want to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair you know?"

"I know, Daddy," I say before taking another sip of tea. "You have sacrificed so much and you have put your body through hell for this business. You're very respected and as much as it pains me to see you walk away I know that you are doing it because it's best for you. I have seen some of your latest matches. I see how it is affecting you and how it is becoming harder and harder. I know after Wrestlemania 30 everything was different. I didn't think you would have another two years in you but you surprised me. I'm glad you stuck around."

"Me too," he says with a smile, "but now it's time to walk away while I still can. I have a 3 year old daughter that I want to spend time with. I want to be able to go on walks with her and play outside with her. I want to be able to do things with her I rarely got to do with you or your brother and sisters. She deserves that much. I have time to make up with Chasey and Gracie. I have done my best to be a good father. I have been there for them more than I ever was for you," he says.

"And Dad, I understand that but you were also just starting out in the business when I was born. You had a lot to prove, you were a lot younger too. I never held it against you the sacrifice you made for our family for this business. I was always proud of you. I am still proud of you. I will ALWAYS be proud of you and everything you have done and all the time you have given to WWE. I will never hold it against you. I had so much pride in my chest when I would tell my closest friends that The Undertake is my father. I was extremely proud. Pride continues to swell in my chest as I go out to the ring every night as YOUR daughter, your living legacy and continue YOUR legacy. I couldn't have come from better lineage and I couldn't have asked for a better father. You did the best that you could and I love you for that. You were always an amazing dad. You made time for me every time you came home. You have always been there for me when I needed you and you continue to be. I love you so much, Daddy and I am extremely proud of you and who you are as well as everything you started. I understand why you're leaving the business and calling it quits. Whether you're there or not you'll always be in my heart as I go out in that ring and give it my all like YOU taught me to do. I just hope I can make you as proud of me as you have made me of you," I say with tears in my eyes.

"Scout, I have been proud of you since the day you were born. You have been my pride and joy for the last 25 years. You're an amazing daughter and I am extremely proud of you and the woman you have become. My chest swells with pride when I can point to you and say 'that's my daughter'. I love you, Willow Kate."

"I love you too, Daddy," I say with a smile as I hug him tightly. This man has been my life since I was born. He raised me to be the woman I am today and he has never not been there for me as long as I can remember. Everyone on WWE sees him as this Deadman of very few words but to me and my family he is so much more than that. He is a great father, a great husband, a great friend and a man of great wisdom. He is the best father I could have asked for. He is the first man to ever hold my heart.

"Dad," I say. "Can I ask you something?"

"Scout, you know you can ask me anything."

"You were young when you married mama and you had a whole career ahead of you then you found out you were having twins with her, how did you know you were ready to be married and to have kids?"

He let out a small chuckle, "Does this have something to do with you and Joe?"

"Yes," I say, "I love him very much. I don't think I have ever loved a man the way that I love Joe. I feel like I'm ready for marriage and to have kids all of that but then I am so concerned about my career. I don't want to live a life where I sacrifice my family for my career but Joe seems ready to have a family and be married."

"Do you want to get married?" he asks.

"Yes, someday, I'm ready for marriage in a way but a part of me is being held back by my career and fears of being married. I'm scared, Daddy. What if I'm not enough for him or something happens and I lose him. His daughter and his ex are moving back here. I feel like Vanessa being back in Tampa could be a threat to me. I don't know why. He told me he is done with her and everything he has with me is different but they still share a child together. How did you move on while you had children with Mama and Sara? How was it easy for you to move on and marry again?"

"That's a loaded question," he says. "First, let me talk to you about the part that you're questioning if you're not enough for him. Has Joe ever made you feel like you're not enough for him or that you could lose him?"

"No," I say.

"Then why do you feel like you may not be enough for him?"

"I don't know," I say, "I honestly don't know. I'm just worried because I'm not ready to have a family or have kids yet. He is older than me, he has more experience than I do and I don't want to let him down."

"Joe loves you a lot. I know it. I have never seen a man look at you the way he does and the way you look at him. The love is definitely there, Scout. I think you're the world to him. You mean a lot more to him than you're feeling. As for the children thing if Joe truly loves you like I believe that he does he'll wait till you're ready to have kids before he presses the issue. There's no sense in rushing it. You two should enjoy this life that you have already started, get married when the time is right and then worry about children. As long as you both want it someday then you have nothing to worry about."

"Okay," I say.

"As for the rest of your question, I still love your mom and I still love Sara, I always will love them because they gave me 4 of the most precious gifts I could have asked for. When you have children with someone they are a part of your life forever as much as you don't want them to be and you can still love them but love them in a way that is grateful for what they have given you. I love your mama and Sara because they are mothers of my children, that will not change. I have lived and learned. They weren't right for me. They weren't the ones I was meant to be with. You can always feel it. I'm sure Joe feels the same way about his daughter's mom. He will always love her because they have a child together but he knows she wasn't right for him. He knows that they weren't meant to be. Joe loves you. I know he does. You have nothing to worry about or be afraid of. I don't think he's going anywhere."

"I guess you're right. Daddy, I never felt this way about anyone. I don't want to lose him. I can never picture my life without him and that scares me. It's like I need him to survive. I never had that feeling before. The way he looks at me it gives me butterflies and the way he tells me he loves me rocks my soul. I feel like I have been searching for him my whole life. It's like he is truly the other part of my soul. I can't live without him and I can't stand the thought of him not being mine. Is that what it felt like with Michelle?"

He let out a small chuckle and says, "When you love someone and you find your soulmate you know. It sounds to me that you found your soulmate and as for your question, yes that's what I felt with Michelle. I wish I could have found her sooner so I could love her longer. You're still young yet and have plenty of years to love Joe, be married and have a family together."

"I know, Daddy," I say with a smile. "Thanks for listening to my nonsense."

"It's not nonsense, Scout. You're a girl in love. You have fears and dreams. It's normal. I'm here to help you whenever you need it. I would love for you and Joe to get married to give me some grandchildren. You know I'm not getting any younger. I would love to have a couple maybe some boys."

"You put a lot of pressure on Joe, Daddy," I say jokingly. "He wants a boy too," I say, "because we have talked about it."

"I'm sure," he says with a smile. "Want to hear a story?"

"Sure," I say.

"Well, your mama and I were young when we married you know that. I was 22 years old and she was 21 when we married. We ran off to get married because we were so in love. Her mom and dad didn't really approve of me and what I wanted to do with my life but your mama and I loved each other so much that we decided to screw everyone else and just got married. We eloped and we were happy. It was a struggle for a while. We were two young kids living off minimum wage, I was training to become a wrestler and times were tough. They were really tough. When I was 24 years old, she told me she was pregnant. We hadn't been trying, we were being as careful as we possibly could and just a couple days before my 25th birthday she told me we were having a baby. I didn't know at the time what the future held. I was truly scared. I had no idea we were going to have twins either. I never imagined that. A lot of thoughts had gone through my mind when she told me the news that day but twins was never one of them. I didn't know what we were going to do. I hadn't made my break yet, we were living paycheck to paycheck and that was barely enough. I had no idea how we were going to feed you or your brother. It was the scariest time of my life. I didn't think I was ready to be a father. I was nowhere close to having kids but it happened and it was beyond my power. I did what I could to make the best of it. I worked extra shifts. I saved up more money, I worked more shows that I could work to earn a few more bucks. Then panic really set in when we found out it was twins. I never expected that and shortly after we found out you two were twins a boy and a girl I got the call to make my big break. It took a while but I finally made my debut three days before you and your brother were born. Your mama and me we were set for life. I knew that everything was going to be okay no matter how scared I was. The day you and your brother were born changed my entire life. I never realized what true love was until the moment I saw your faces. Your brother was so tiny only 5 pounds and an ounce. He had a head covered in red peach fuzz and the biggest brown eyes I had ever seen on a baby. He was beautiful. One of my best creations I have to say and then I saw you. You melted my heart even more. You were a little smaller than your brother 4 pounds and 11 oz. You were a little peanut in my arms and you had this head full of beautiful red hair a lot more than your brother and the little freckles on your face. You were beautiful. I never knew I could love something so little so much. I knew that day that November 25, 1990 was just the start of my life and it has been a great life ever since. I was scared of the unknown, I was scared of the future and what it held but in the end everything turned out okay. Everything turned out for the best. It's not uncommon to be scared of the unknown but don't let your fear hold you back, Willow. Everything is going to be okay and everything will work out the way that it is meant to be. I promise."

"Dad," I say with a smile as I look up at him. "How did you get to be so wise?"

"I don't know," he says with a smile as he looks down at me with a smile, "but I want you to take that and remember that no matter what happens in your life, no matter where you go, I want you to remember that it's okay to be scared of the unknown but you should never let your fear control or dictate your life. Everything will be okay, I promise. I love you, Scout."

"I love you too, Daddy," I say with a smile.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Willow and her dad spending time together? What do you think of her asking him for advice? What about the pride she has in him even though he has sacrificed a lot of time with her for the buisness? What about the pride he has in her? What do you think of Willow having fears for her future with Roman? Do you think her dad helped her with those fears? Why do you think her dad told her the story of when he found out her mama was pregnant with her and her brother? Was he telling her something? Do you think Willow will take this advice with her and use it in the future? Please review and thank-you fo reading.**


	29. Chapter 29

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

 **SURVIVOR SERIES 2015:**

"You ready for tonight?" I ask Roman as we are sitting in his locker room. He's getting ready for his second match of the night against his best friend Dean Ambrose for the World Heavyweight Championship. The last few weeks have been a bit crazy as there have been a lot of changes in the back regarding his match at tonight's pay per view. It was set to be him and Seth Rollins for the championship but when they were on their European tour everything changed. Seth got the same knee injury that I did which changed the entire match for the pay per view. I had expected it to be Joe verses the person that won the tournament they set up for the championship but Hunter had a different idea. Joe had to fight once again for his spot in this match later tonight. I found it to be ridiculous and a waste of time but Joe said he was fine with it. He worked his ass off to get to the finals. He deserves this win. He deserves this championship, with Seth out he should get it. It had been decided that Roman wouldn't win when it was him against Seth but now that it's vacant there's a pretty good chance he'll walk away the champion.

"As ready as I'm ever going to be," he says tightening his boot. "I have no idea what's going to happen out there," he says. "Vince hasn't given word on who is winning tonight."

"You don't know yet?" I ask rubbing his shoulders. "Don't you usually know the outcome by now?"

"Yeah and that's what worries me about this entire thing. This is exactly how it was at Wrestlemania. They kept it hush hush till the match and that's when I found out that neither Brock nor myself was walking away with the championship. I don't know how I'm going to feel if they do that to me again," he says. "It sucked the first time."

"I know, Baby," I say as I hug him from behind. "No matter what happens out there tonight, no matter who wins you will always be a champion to those that love you. You're always going to be my champion. Win or Lose you will always be my winner," I say before pressing a kiss to his temple.

"I love you, Baby Girl," he says with a smile.

"I love you too," I say with a smile. "You coming out with us after the show tonight to celebrate my dad's 25 years?"

"I wouldn't miss the celebration for the world," he says.

"I can't believe it has been 25 years since he debuted."

"Neither can I. I remember watching him when I was a little kid. He is truly one of the best in the company. Is he sure he doesn't want to stick around a little while longer?"

"I think he's ready to give it up," I say. "Did you watch him while you were in your Ninja Turtle pajamas?" I tease him with a smile on my face.

"Shut up, Willow," he says jokingly, "no as a matter of fact I was in my Superman pajamas when I watched your dad."

"I can't even imagine," I say with a smile before he helps me onto his lap. "You were so cute when you were little."

"So were you," he says with a smile before he kisses my lips softly. "So what are we doing for your birthday?" he asks. "You have one coming up in a few days."

"I don't know," I say. "I haven't really thought about it. I was actually planning on doing a Thanksgiving dinner for you, me and Alani. I wanted to spend our first Thanksgiving together."

"You don't want to go to your dad's or spend Thanksgiving with him?"

"They invited us to their house if you want to go," I say. "It's up to you."

"I don't mind," he says, "I do however want to take you out for your birthday," he says, "and give you a special birthday."

"I think I would like that," I say with a smile. "What do you have in mind?"

"You'll just have to wait," he says with a smile, "it will be a surprise."

"You know I'm not big on surprises," I say.

"It will be a good surprise, I promise."

"Okay." I kiss his lips softly, gliding my tongue over his soft lips. He parts his lips allowing me to dip my tongue inside. My tongue meets his, twisting and twirling together as his arms wrap around my waist, my arms around his neck. A small moan escapes from him as I deepen the kiss. We're lost in our own world and alone together; nothing else matters. Our kiss is interrupted by one of the producers telling Roman it's time to take his place because shortly after the Kane and Undertaker match is his match with Dean. "Good luck, Baby," I say with a smile as he helps me up off his lap and hands me my crutches.

"Thanks," he says with a smile before he gives me a soft kiss on the lips.

"Remember no matter what happens, you're a winner to me," I say with a smile before he walks out of the room after giving me a breathtaking smile.

After Joe leaves the locker room to take his walk to the place he will enter for his match when he comes through the arena I make my way to the TV room to watch my dad in his match for his 25th anniversary. "Hey, Willow," says Dean as he stops me on my way.

"Hey, Dean," I say warily. "How are you?"

"I'm all right. I'm ready for this big match tonight against Roman."

"He's pretty ready too. You both worked hard for this. I really hope to see one of you walk away as champion, I mean that's almost a guarantee but obviously you know where my loyalty lies."

"I know," he says. "How is your knee doing?"

"It's okay," I say, "I started PT a couple weeks ago."

"That's good. How's that going?" he asks.

"It's going all right," I say, "I mean it's just the beginning. I go for 3 hours a day every day. I'm really working hard on getting my knee healed up and strengthen it so I can come back to the ring."

"When do you think you'll be back?" he asks.

"I don't know probably not till the beginning of April. I'm probably missing Mania this year but there's always next year."

"I'm sorry," he says.

"It's fine," I say. "Well, I'm about to go watch my dad wrestle," I say. "Good luck in your match tonight."

"Willow," he says stopping me before I start walking away.

"Yeah?" I ask.

"I know that you and I haven't seen eye to eye. I know that we have had our issues and I haven't really treated you the best and I'm sorry for that. I wasn't exactly happy with yours and Joe's relationship when it first started but I see how happy you make him. He hasn't been this happy for a long time and I know he makes you happy. I'm sorry, Willow. I was hoping that we could put our differences aside and start over?"

"Dean, I never had a problem with you. You always had one with me and I never understood why. I still don't have a problem with you. I know you're Joe's best friend and I love your friendship. I love how close you two are. If you ever thought I would come between that and ruin that I'm sorry. I never would. I want us all to get along and all of us to be friends. I have no problem putting it all behind us."

"Thanks, Willow," he says before he extends his hand.

"You're welcome, Dean," I say before I shake his hand. "Good luck out there tonight."

"Thanks," he says before we walk our separate ways.

 **LATER THAT NIGHT:**

Shortly after my dad's match he made his way to the back and we had a small celebration for him. I congratulate him on his 25 years and then I get set to watch Roman's championship match with my dad, my sisters and Michelle. I still have no idea who's winning this match but it is set to be a pretty good match between Dean and Joe. They have been brothers, best friends on screen and now it all comes down to this. I want Joe to win so badly. He deserves this more than anyone but Dean deserves it just as much as he does. We watch the match and of course there's a lot of back and forth. They each hit each other with their finishers but they kept kicking out of the other's finishers. It was written all over their faces that they didn't know what to do next. There were times Dean had the upper hand but there were times when Joe had the upper hand. It was a great match and then finally Roman hits Dean with a spear. 1, 2,3, I watch the ref's hand hit the matter. I scream out in excitement as the bell rings, "He did it! Roman's the champion, he did it." I have never been happier and prouder in my life for him. Tears of joy fill my eyes as I watch him hold the championship. The smile on his face melts my heart. He has worked so hard for this. He deserves it. He holds the championship up in the air as the confetti falls from the sky. It is an amazing celebration until I realize it's too early for the show to end. "Something doesn't seem right," I say.

"Why?" asks my dad.

"Because it's not even 10:45 yet, there's no way this pay per view is ending right now. Something is up," I say nervously hoping that they don't ruin this moment for him and hope they don't take this special moment away. I want to go out and celebrate with him but I'm not supposed to do that. Then just as I suspected out comes Hunter as his music cues. "I knew it. Something is going to happen."

"You don't know that, Scout," says my dad. "Maybe they are finally giving him his time. Just relax," he says as I watch what's taking place in the ring. I watch as Hunter claps for Joe and he looks at him. Hunter extends his hand out to Joe but Joe just keeps looking at it before he delivers a spear to him. I know that had to feel good for Joe. It's not every day you can spear your boss in the middle of the ring and then it happens. As soon as Joe stands up Sheamus is there and hits him with a Brogue kick straight to the face knocking him down. He hands the Money in the Bank briefcase to the referee and it's announced that he's cashing in.

"I knew it," I say nervously as I watch hoping that it's a failed attempt. I hold my hands up to my mouth as I watch as Joe kicks out of the first pin. I breathe out a sigh of relief as he stands up. He doesn't have a clue where he is or what is going on but Sheamus goes for another Brogue kick before Roman ducks out of the way. He tries to hit him with a spear but instead Roman gets another Brogue kick to the face. That's all it took for him to lose. Sheamus covered him with a 3 count and it was over. Joe's title reign ended before it even got a chance to begin. My heart aches for him as he lies in the middle of the ring and Sheamus is awarded the championship.

The pain on Roman's face as he watches Sheamus walk away with what is his breaks my heart. He sits up in the ring and I can see the tears in his eyes. He is devastated. "Willow, he's crying," says Michelle. "Go to your man, he needs you," she says.

I make my way through the back on my crutches and I meet Joe right as he walks through the curtain. "Baby," I say with tears in my eyes as I hold my arms out for him. He doesn't say a word but walks into my embrace, wrapping his arms around me, covered in sweat after a long hard fight. "It's okay. I'm sorry," I say as I hold him in my arms as he clings to me, his face buried into shoulder. I feel the wetness of his tears on my sweater as I hold him in my arms as he cries. I have never seen him so vulnerable, so hurt. It breaks my heart, I cry with him as I hold him. "I'm sorry."

"Why?" he asks with is face still buried into my shoulder. "I wanted it so bad."

"I know, Baby," I say comforting him. "I know it's hard. I'm here for you. I'm not going anywhere. You deserved that win. You deserve to be the champion and deserve longer than 5 fucking minutes," I say as the anger rises inside of me. They have been screwing around with Roman way too long. It started after the Royal Rumble and has continued till now. He gets so close and then it's over because something like Sheamus cashing in happens. It's like WWE has no hope in Joe. It tears him down every time. "You will get your time, I promise you. You will get your chance and after all this it will be worth it. It will be the best feeling in the world for you. I don't care, Baby, you're still my champion."

"It hurts, Willow," he says, "every time I get this close and they take it away. What did I do? I knew before I went into the match but it still sucks first Wrestlemania and then tonight. It's not fair," he says looking at me with tears in his eyes. It breaks my heart. "I hate it, Willow. I hate it."

"I know, Baby," I say as I lay a soft kiss on his shoulder. "Remember what you told me when I had to give up my championship? Your time is going to come I promise you. You're going to be the greatest champion there ever was. Do not let them win, Joe. Do not let them win. You worked hard for this, and you continue to work hard. You work harder than anyone in this business, you bust your ass and right now they are letting some crybaby crowd dictate your career. Prove to them that you can be that guy, that you can be the man. I know you are the man but they need to see it."

"How much more do I have to show them?" he asks. "I have given so much to get nothing in return. It sucks, Willow. Every time I get close they take it away."

"I know," I say as I rest my head on his chest. "I'm sorry, Joe. I know it sucks. You can either let this stop you or you can let it strengthen you, let it build you up, make you stronger. No one wants to see Sheamus as the champion, no one, your time is going to come and it's going to be amazing. I'm always here for you win or lose. I'm not going anywhere. I will always be here for you. You know what?"

"What?" he asks.

"No one is going to remember Sheamus coming out there and winning the championship from you. What they are going to remember is your amazing match against Cesaro on Raw to get to the semi-finals, they're going to remember your match with Alberto Del Rio and they are going to remember your match with Dean. It's the fight that counts, not the victory. You did an amazing job tonight and I couldn't be any prouder of you. I love you, Baby."

"I love you too," he says with a soft smile before he kisses my lips softly. "Thank-you, Willow," he says.

"For what?"

"Supporting me and being here for me. It sucks losing but you're right it's not the victory it's the fight. He got me when I was down. WWE can't hold me down forever. My time is going to come. It just sucks waiting to get there."

"I know, Baby, but it's going to come and you were the champion for a few minutes but I bet the next time you get that championship you will have a long title reign, a well-deserved title reign. I'm proud of my champion," I say with a smile. "Love you," I say before he kisses my lips again and we share a sweet passionate kiss before he goes to shower so we can go out to celebrate with my dad.

 ***A/N: What do you think Roman has planned for Willow's birthday? Do you think it's going to be special? What do you think of what happened with Roman at Survivor Series? What do you think of Willow's support for him? Did she comfort him well? What did you think of Dean apologizing to Willow? Do you think their issues are done? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	30. Chapter 30

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. THey were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

"Happy Birthday, Baby Girl," says Roman as we arrive at a beautiful Italian restaurant in Tampa. "I wish I could do more for your birthday but with your knee it's kind of limited. I wanted to take you skydiving or rock climbing something that you would really enjoy but I knew that with your knee you couldn't do too much."

"It's okay," I say with a smile as I look at him with my blue-green eyes. "As long as I'm spending my birthday with my favorite guy I don't care what we do. A nice romantic dinner works for me."

"I'm glad you're not disappointed."

"How could I be? You're with me on my 25th birthday, that's all that matters," I say with a smile. "You did a good job. It's not about what we do but who I'm doing it with. I wouldn't want to spend this day with anyone else. I promise," I say as he looks at me with a skeptical look on his face. He softens his face and gives me his heart-melting smile. "I love you."

"I love you too," he says with a smile before he leans over and kisses my lips softly before we get out of the car and make our way to the restaurant. We walk up to the hostess as soon as we are in the restaurant. "Reservation for Anoa'i," says Joe with a smile as the hostess looks him over. I am used to that reaction from most of the females we encounter together. Joe is gorgeous, there's no denying that, he's one of the sexiest men alive and it is a normal reaction to have another female bat her eyes at him or give him the world's biggest smile. I'm getting used to it. He wraps his arm around my waist and I watch her eyes follow his arm and his hand as he places it on the flat of my stomach. I smile at her.

"Yes, Mr. Anoa'i," she says grabbing the menus, "your table is ready," she says before she leads us to a private dining area in the restaurant. She takes us through two double doors and leads us out onto the patio of the restaurant. The sun fading in the sky leaving traces of pink and orange in the sky as a soft breeze fills the air but it is not a cool breeze. The table is set for two with a white table cloth, two white glass plates on each side and the silverware placed perfectly on each side of the plates, a bottle of wine sitting in bucket of ice and two wine glasses on the table. "Enjoy your dinner," she says before she makes her way back inside shutting the doors behind her.

"Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?" he asks me as he stands behind me before pulling out my chair. His lips on my neck as he kisses it softly. "I love seeing you in aqua it brings out your eyes," he says before he pulls the chair out for me and helps me take a seat so I'm comfortable. I smile as I take my seat in my aqua halter dress that he bought me for my birthday. It's beautiful and he has great taste for a man. It hugs my body perfectly, shaping all of my curves and gives off the right amount of cleavage and it shows off my long tan legs. It compliments Roman's choice of an aqua polo and a pair of khaki shorts. This man is sinfully gorgeous no matter what he has on.

"Thank-you," I say with a smile as he takes a seat across from me. "I love it."

"I was hoping," he says with a smile. "Wine?"

"Of course," I say handing him my glass and allowing him to pour me some red wine. "I'm finally 25."

"Do you feel any different?"

"Not really, but I am a quarter of a century old," I say with a smile as he pours himself a glass of wine.

"I already ordered us our meal. I hope that's okay," he says as the waiter makes his way out onto the patio with two salads to start us off.

"I'm all right with that," I say with a smile. The waiter places our salads in front of us before he walks away. "So what is our meal going to be tonight?"

"Well, after we get through the salad, the soup and the antipastos I ordered us eggplant parmesan with asparagus."

"Sounds amazing," I say before I take a bite of my salad. "Are you ready to spend the day with Alani tomorrow?"

"I'm ready to see her," he says with a smile. "It's been so long."

"I know and it won't be long before she's here in Tampa living. I'm kind of excited to have her stay with us for a couple days. I have so much planned for us."

"Oh really?" he asks as we eat, "like what?"

"Well, I thought that tomorrow night after having dinner at my dad's we could watch a Christmas movie together and then Friday we could decorate the house for Christmas so that she's there to do that. What do you say?"

"I like it, I'm sure Alani will have a lot of fun. I'm sure she'll be happy to finally have the house decorated this year."

"You never decorate?" I ask.

"Not usually. I put a tree up and put some lights on it but that's the extent of it. I don't really have time to decorate because I'm on the road so much."

"Oh, Joe," I say, "Christmas is my favorite holiday. I love to decorate for Christmas. Zahra loved it. I used to decorate all over our apartment and I would even decorate our patio since I didn't have a house to decorate."

"Well, you can have as much fun as you want decorating our house. I have some yard decorations in the basement. I haven't used them. You can put up what you want."

"Awesome," I say with a smile. "You have no idea how crazy I get about Christmas. You're going to have your whole house decorated and I'll have my dad string the lights out front. I will bake Christmas cookies and make gingerbread houses. I love Christmas. I just wish I could have snow on Christmas you know?"

"A white Christmas in Tampa is highly unlikely. I don't even remember the last time it snowed here."

"Never snowed in Houston either," I say. "I want to host Christmas at your house can I? My family can come and your family can come. I think it would be fun to bring our families together."

"I'm all for that. I usually go up to Pensacola for Christmas to see my mom and pops but if you want to do Christmas at OUR house you can. I think it's good for our families to come together. I mean one day you and I are going to be married. Your family will be mine and mine will be yours."

"I know, Baby," I say with a smile. "What's your favorite holiday?"

"I love Christmas just as much as you do, Baby Girl," he says, "I just look forward to Alani waking up on Christmas morning to get her gifts and see how excited she is when she gets them. I love to see her happy. She loves Christmas."

"All kids love Christmas," I say with a smile.

"I agree," he says with a smile. "I can't wait to spend Christmas with you. It's our first together."

"I can't wait," I say with a smile before the waiter comes out with our soup. "How much time do you get off for Christmas?"

"Not much," he says, "I work the 21st, 22nd and then I am off the 23rd, 24th, 25th and then go back on the road Christmas night because I have a show on the 26th in Detroit."

"Oh," I say, "I wish we had more time with you for Christmas."

"Me too," he says, "but it's part of the job."

"I know," I say, "my dad did it every year for us. At least we get Christmas Eve and Christmas together."

"That's true," he says with a smile before we eat our soup together and then our antipasto followed by the main course of Eggplant Parmesan with asparagus and then by the time desert comes I am full and stuffed. I could barely eat the strawberry cheesecake he ordered for us. It was a beautiful dinner and a beautiful night together just enjoying the coolness of the fall Tampa evening and enjoying each other. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday with the man that I love.

After a nice romantic dinner we arrive back to our house and Tampa. I can barely move as I take a seat on the couch. "I'm stuffed," I say, "I don't even know how I'm going to be able to eat tomorrow after tonight."

Joe let's out a small chuckle as he takes a seat next to me. "Me either," he says.

"But it was really good and I enjoyed it. Thank-you," I say with a smile, "and I am going to gain so much weight before I go back to work."

"You'll be fine," he says, "I thought that too last year when I had my hernia surgery. I put on some weight and thought that it was going to screw me up but I got back in the gym and started to work out. I dropped the weight I put on before I came back. If you gain a little weight it's okay. I honestly think you're too skinny."

"Well, you know how WWE is. They don't like too much meat on their Divas."

"I think you'll be fine, you'll always be perfect to me," he says making me smile. "You ready to come back yet?"

"You know that I am," I say with a smile. "I hate sitting at home doing nothing at least I will have Christmas decorating to keep me busy for now but after that I don't know what I'll do. I have read pretty much all the books that I can. I need something."

"I think I might have something to keep you busy while you're home," he says with a smile. "I'll be right back," he says as he stands up from the couch.

"Where are you going?" I ask.

He stops and turns around giving me a smile, "getting your birthday present from me," he says with a smile before he walks away. He comes back into the living after leaving me wondering for about 10 minutes on what he could have possibly have gotten me for my birthday.

"You didn't," I say as he walks into the living room holding a tiny dalmation puppy in his hands. "You didn't get a dog."

"Happy birthday, Baby Girl," he says with a smile as the puppy wiggles in his hands. He hands the puppy to me and I smile as it gives me kisses.

"It's so cute," I say with a smile. "I love it."

"I remember you telling me how you grew up with dogs and how much you love them. You told me that you wished you could have had a dog in your apartment but you weren't allowed to because of the rules."

"I do love dogs," I say with a smile as I pet the little puppy in my hands. "Thank-you," I say with a smile.

"You're welcome," he says with a smile as he pets the dog. "I love to see you smile, Willow."

I look at him with a smile on my face and say, "you constantly put the smile on my face. I thought you didn't want a dog?"

"Well, I didn't really want a dog but because you're going to be here alone while I'm out on the road I figured you would need some company and he can help you recover. He can be your recovery buddy."

"Thanks," I say, "and I love dalmations."

"I know. I remember you telling me how much you loved 101 Dalmations when you were a little girl. I had to."

"Well, I'm in love with him," I say with a smile.

"I'm glad," he says with a smile. "What are you going to name him?"

"I don't know. What do you think of the name Julius? Or maybe Romeo?"

"Julius?" he asks.

"Yes," I say with a smile. "It's from literature."

"I see," he says, "Our kids are going to be named after literature aren't they?" he asks.

"Only if you want them to be," I say, "I'm not the only one, you get a say too."

"Well, I like Romeo," he says, "I think Romeo suits him."

"I think so too," I say with a smile. "Romeo it is. Do you want to be called Romeo?" I ask the tiny puppy before he licks my face. "It's official," I say with a smile as I look at Joe as he looks at me with a smile on his face. "What?"

"Nothing," he says, "I'm just thinking about how lucky I am to have you for my girlfriend. You're so beautiful and even more so when you're happy. I love your laugh, I love your smile. I love everything about you."

"Joe," I say with a smile. "I love you too." He leans over and kisses my lips softly and passionately. "Thank-you for giving me the most wonderful birthday, I had so much fun. I'm glad I got to spend it with you."

"Glad I could deliver," he says with a smile before he kisses my lips once more.

 ***A/N: what did you think of the birthday Joe surprised Willow with? Do you think she truly enjoyed herself? What do you think about her idea for Christmas? Do you think it will all work out? What did you think of Joe getting her a puppy for her birthday? Do you think that will help her with recovery and keep her from being so lonely? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	31. Chapter 31

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. THey were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

The doorbell rings just before Willow and I walk out of the living room. I just helped put up the Christmas tree, we're going to decorate it later tonight after Alani is here and do some fun activities with her before she has to leave to go back to California till she finally moves back to Tampa to be closer to us. I open the door and smile as I see Vanessa standing at the door and Alani standing next to her. "Daddy!" she yells as I scoop her up in my arms and give her a kiss on the cheek. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," I say with a smile as Willow meets us at the door. "How was your Thanksgiving yesterday?"

"Good," she says with a smile as she wiggles out of my arms. I put her down on the floor and she runs over to Willow. "Willow!" she says excitedly as she wraps her arms around her waist, hugging her. I smile as Willow hugs her back with a smile. "Happy Birthday," she says.

"Thanks, Alani," says Willow as Romeo comes running to the door, his claws sliding and clicking on the wooden floor. He can barely stop himself as he reaches the door.

"You got a dog!" yells Alani as she kneels down to pet him. He jumps up on her and starts licking her face making her giggle. I smile at the beautiful sound as Willow gets down on the floor with them to help keep Romeo calm so he doesn't attack Alani completely. "I love this dog," she says with a smile.

"He likes you," says Willow with a smile. "Your daddy bought him for me for my birthday."

"Aw, what's his name?" she asks as she pets him.

"Romeo," says Willow with a smile.

"I like that name," says Alani as they play with the dog.

"You can come in," I say inviting Vanessa into the house. I take Alani's overnight bag from her that is filled with her favorite stuffed monkey that she has slept with since she was a baby. She can't sleep without it and a few of her toys she usually brings from her mom's house even though she has a large quantity of toys up in her bedroom at my house. Vanessa steps inside as I shut the door behind her. "So how was Thanksgiving?"

"It was good," she says with a smile, "we spent it at my sister's house. Alani enjoyed seeing her cousins. I'm surprised you didn't go up to Pensacola for Thanksgiving yesterday," she says.

"We wanted to spend Thanksgiving with Willow's family this year," I say.

"That's nice of you," she says. "Will Willow be staying here while Alani is visiting?"

"Vanessa, Willow lives here, she will always be around," I say.

"Oh. I didn't know she was living here. I just thought she stayed the night. I didn't know you two were that serious," she says as Willow looks up at her ignoring the comment before she goes back to entertaining Alani and Romeo.

"For a couple months now," I say with a nod. "So do you know for sure when you're going to be moving here?"

"We'll be moving here the weekend of the 18th," she says.

"Okay," I say. "I was wondering about Christmas this year," I say.

"What were you wondering exactly?" she asks.

"Alani," says Willow, "how about we go into the kitchen and start baking Christmas cookies while Daddy talks to your mommy? How does that sound?"

"Okay," she says with a smile as she stands along with Willow. "Bye, Mommy," she says quickly before she runs ahead of Willow to the kitchen.

"Bye, Alani, I love you!" yells Vanessa, "don't eat too many cookies," she says.

"Love you too!" yells Alani before they disappear into the kitchen.

"Joe, you know I don't like Alani eating all that junk food."

"She's going to be 8 tomorrow. It's not going to hurt her to have some sweets and sugar. It's not like Willow and I are going to give her sweets for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Willow is an amazing cook and makes very healthy meals. Alani will be fine. You don't have anything to worry about in fact she'll probably be eating healthier with Willow here than if it was just her and I. She would have had macaroni and cheese and hot dogs mostly," I say with amusement in my voice but I know Vanessa isn't happy.

"Speaking of tomorrow," she says crossing her arms, "I'm picking her up at noon. We have plans with her to go to Sea World for the day."

"Willow and I had planned to spend her birthday with her," I say, "I thought I had her till Sunday?"

"Well, my sister suggested that we go to Sea World tomorrow for Alani's birthday. I couldn't say no."

"You can go on Sunday, it doesn't have to be tomorrow."

"We are leaving on Sunday night there will be no time for a trip to Sea World," she says. "I'm sorry, Joe but I'm picking her up at noon tomorrow so that we can go to Sea World for her birthday."

"Whatever, Vanessa that's fine," I say not wanting to have an argument with her. "For Christmas I want her Christmas Eve into Christmas morning," I say.

"But you always get her Christmas afternoon and then keep her with you till New Year's," she says.

"I want to enjoy her waking up on Christmas morning and opening the presents we buy for her. I never get to see that. You can get her for the afternoon on Christmas but please let me have her Christmas Eve into Christmas morning."

"This is because of Willow isn't it?" she asks.

"No it's because I want to see my daughter's face light up for once on a Christmas morning and not get her in the afternoon where most of the excitement is gone. It's only fair now that I'm allowing you to take her for her birthday even though Willow and I already had plans with her," I say.

"Fine," she says, "you can get her Christmas Eve into Christmas morning but I will be here by noon Christmas day to pick her up."

"That's fine," I say with a smile. "Well, I'm going to go help them with the Christmas cookies. I will see you tomorrow at noon. Have a good day, Vanessa."

"You too," she says as she goes to open the door, "Remember what I said, not too much junk food."

"She won't have too much junk food I promise," I say with a smile before she walks out the door. I roll my eyes and make my way to the kitchen to see Willow helping Alani stir some cookie dough. I walk over to Willow and Alani, I wrap my arms around Willow's waist and whisper into her ear. "How fast can you make a birthday cake?"

"I could have it done in three hours," she says, "I just need to bake it, cool it and then decorate it. Why?"

"Change of plans," I say, "we're going to celebrate her birthday tonight because Vanessa is picking her up at noon tomorrow."

"I thought that we were going to go to the zoo for the day," she says.

"I wanted to but Vanessa believes her plans trump ours so she's picking her up at noon. We'll go to the zoo another time," I say.

"All right," she says. "I can start the cake."

"Thank-you," I say as I kiss her temple.

"Alani, instead of just baking cookies we're going to bake a cake for your birthday too. How does that sound?"

"This is the best day ever!" she says with excitement making me smile. "Daddy, can you help us?"

"Of course," I say with a smile as I let go of Willow and start to help them with their baking. I turn on the Christmas music and we start our afternoon of baking. I do the best that I can but baking in the kitchen isn't really my forte but I try for Alani. It is a fun afternoon I enjoy spending it with my two favorite girls.

"We're going to make this Christmas tree the most beautiful Christmas tree anyone has ever seen right, Willow?" asks Alani as we are decorating the Christmas tree that has taken residence in front of the big window in our home. It's been a while since I have decorated for Christmas or had a Christmas tree up but I have to admit I enjoy decorating the tree and actually having a tree. It actually feels like Christmas.

"The most beautiful tree," says Willow with a smile as she hangs one of Alani's handmade ornaments on the tree. "What do you want for Christmas this year? What do you want Santa to bring you?" asks Willow.

"A Barbie Dreamhouse," she says, "and lots of Barbie dolls."

"You like Barbie dolls?" asks Willow.

"I love Barbie dolls, all kinds of them too," she says with a smile.

"Well, make sure you put that on your Christmas list for Santa Claus and maybe he might bring you some Barbie dolls and a Barbie Dreamhouse for Christmas," says Willow with a smile.

"What do you want for Christmas, Willow?" asks Alani.

"I don't know," she says, "I'm pretty happy with everything I already have. There's not too much more that I can ask for."

"Oh, what about you, Daddy? What do you want for Christmas?"

"I don't know," I say. "I haven't thought about it. I think I have everything that I need already," I say with a smile. "I'm pretty lucky."

"Oh," she says as she hangs an ornament on the tree. "I'm going to get you two something very special, you're going to love it."

"I love anything that comes from you," I say with a smile as I scoop her up in my arms making her giggle. I kiss her cheek softly before I put her down on her feet so that we can finish decorating the tree. "What do you want for your birthday dinner?" I ask her.

"Sushi," she says with a smile.

"You are my child," I say with a smile. "Okay, we'll go to get some sushi after we decorate the tree."

"I love sushi," she says with a smile, "just like you do Daddy," she says making me smile.

We decorate the tree in an assortment of red, green, silver and gold ornaments mixed with some handcrafted ornaments that Alani has given me in the past, a few ornaments with her picture on them and the ornament that Willow had made for us at the mall with mine, hers and Alani's name on it for Christmas 2015. I help Willow wrap the white garland around the tree and smile at our work. "What do you think, Alani?" I ask as I wrap my arm around Willow's waist and hold my hand on Alani's shoulder. "Do you think we did a good job?"

"Yeah," she says, "but there's one thing missing."

"What? What's missing?" I ask.

"The angel on top of the tree," she says with a smile as she points to the top of the tree. "We need the angel, Daddy," she says.

"Right," I say with a smile. "What was I thinking? Willow is there an angel in that box?"

"Right here," she says with a smile as she hands me a beautiful angel to top the top of our tree. "That angel used to belong to my grandma. It's very special in our family," she says with a smile.

"It's beautiful," says Alani with a smile as she looks at the fragile angel running her hands over her hair.

"I don't think I can do this myself," I say. "I think I might need some help of a little princess. Alani, can you help me out?"

"Yes, Daddy," she says with a smile before I hand her the angel. I pick her up and put her on my shoulders so she can place the angel on top of the tree. "All done," she says proudly as I take her off my shoulders and put her down onto the floor.

"Is it better now?" I ask her with a smile.

"Much better," she says with a smile. "Let's take a family selfie," she says with a smile making me smile that she considers Willow a part of the family.

"Okay," I say with a smile before we crowd around the tree and I snap a selfie of all three of us smiling. I couldn't be happier than I am in this moment. Willow and Alani are what my life is all about.

"So how is school going?" asks Willow as we are at our favorite sushi place in Tampa celebrating Alani's birthday.

"Good," she says before taking a bite of sushi. "I have all A's," she says proudly.

"Amazing," I say with a smile. "Are you ready to move here?"

"I'm going to miss my friends in California and some of my family but I want to see you and Willow more," she says.

"Well, we're going to the best we can with that. I'm going to try to have you come to my house every Wednesday till Friday. How does that sound?"

"That sounds fun. I like going to your house," she says with a smile.

"It's your house too," I say with a smile. "It's not just mine and Willow's house, it's your house too."

"I know, Daddy," she says before it gets quiet at the table. "Are you two going to get married?"

"Maybe someday," I say with a smile as I look at Willow. "Would you be okay if Willow and I got married?"

"I would love it!" she says, "then I would have two mommies. I would have my mommy and then Willow would be my second mommy."

"If you want to look at it that way," I say, "but Willow isn't going to replace your first mommy."

"I know, Daddy. She will just be my mommy at your house and my mommy will be my mommy at her house just like Gage is my daddy at mommy's house," she says but for some reason I don't like her looking at Vanessa's boyfriend as her dad. It reminds me of how I am hardly ever around for her or around to spend time with her. "Can I call Willow Mommy?"

"I don't know, Alani, I'm not sure your mommy would like that very much. Do you call Gage Daddy?" I ask curiously needing to know.

"Yes, Daddy because he's my second Daddy," she says.

"IF Willow is all right with you calling her Mommy then I'm okay with it," I say. "But that's up to Willow."

"I'm not sure," she says, "I don't want to step on anyone's toes," she says. "I never called Sara or Michelle Mama. I don't know if it's a good idea for her to call me Mama. She can call me something else but I don't think Mama or Mommy is a good thing. I don't' want to upset Vanessa."

"Okay," I say. "How about you come up with a name for Willow that isn't Mama or Mommy," I say, "we're not sure your mommy would like that very much just like I'm pretty sure I don't like you calling Gage Daddy."

"Mommy told me I could call him Daddy," she says with a shrug. "But I can stop if you want me to."

"I would like you to stop. Gage isn't your daddy just like Willow isn't your mommy. I think it's better if you call them by their names. They can love you like a mommy and a daddy but they won't truly be your mommy and daddy. Do you understand what I'm saying, Alani?"

"Not really," she says, "but okay."

"No, I want you to understand that even though Daddy marries Willow or Mommy marries Gage," I start to say before she interrupts me.

"But Mommy and Gage are married," she says, "they got married last week in California. I was the flower girl," she says.

"Well," I say, "I didn't know that but that still doesn't make Gage your daddy. He may love you like one but he's not your daddy. Just like Willow won't be your mommy when we get married."

"You said when," she points out. "So you two are getting married? Can I be the flower girl? Can I?"

"Yes, Alani," I say giving up on the conversation. "You can be the flower girl along with Willow's little sister Kaia."

"I'm so excited," she says with a smile. "I can't wait!"

"It won't be for a while," I say, "but some day we will get married but can we celebrate your birthday first?" I ask.

"Yeah," she says with a smile.

"Okay," I say as Willow nudges me. "Huh?" I whisper.

"I think that you and Vanessa need to talk tomorrow when she picks up Alani. I don't think putting her in the middle of anything is a good idea."

"I will talk to Vanessa, but I don't want her calling Gage daddy because that's not her father. I'm her father just like you won't be her mother," I say. "Don't tell me how to raise my daughter."

"Fine," she says, "handle it yourself the way you want. It was just a suggestion," she says and I can hear the annoyance in her voice. I upset her. I shake my head and hope that we can work this out later. I'm just so upset over Alani calling another man daddy that I'm taking it out on Willow and all she did was suggest I talk to Vanessa instead of my 8 year old daughter.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Vanessa changing plans on Roman and Willow for Alani's birthday? Do you think Vanessa likes Willow? What do you think of the coversation at dinner with Alani calling Gage Daddy and her calling Willow Mommy? Do you agree with Willow and what she said? What did you think of Roman's reaction to hearing about Alani calling Gage daddy? Do you believe that Roman was wrong for snapping at Willow? How do you think a coversation with Vanessa is going to go? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	32. Chapter 32

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

"You're upset," says Roman as he wraps his arms around my waist as I'm trying to get ready for bed. "Tell me how can I fix it, what did I do?"

"You didn't do anything," I say taking out my earrings as he nuzzles into my neck, "it's how you handled the situation with Alani calling Gage Dad and her calling me Mama and then it's what you said about telling you how not to raise your child. I wasn't telling you how to raise her. I was simply telling you that a conversation like that should be discussed with Vanessa not your 8 year old daughter. She's too young. You never put a child in the middle of something like that. If you don't like her calling Gage dad then you tell Vanessa not Alani."

"Well, I don't like her calling him dad. That's not her dad. It's bad enough that I can't be with her every day like I want to be or see her as much as I want to. I feel like my toes are getting stepped on with her calling her dad."

"Like you're being replaced?" I ask as turn to face him. "And the same way Vanessa will feel if Alani called me mama. I love Alani. I don't mind being her step mom one day and don't mind being here for her to be a positive female role model in her life but I can't allow her to call me mama it isn't fair to Vanessa."

"It does make me feel like I'm being replaced," he says, "I'm sorry, Baby. I shouldn't have snapped at you the way I did. I was just upset with the fact that my daughter is calling another man dad. You're right I should talk to Vanessa and not put Alani in the middle of the situation or the issues I have with her mom."

"You're right," I say with a smile as I wrap my arms around his neck. "Alani is 8 years old. The last thing she needs is to be put in the middle of something. You two are the adults she's an innocent child."

"I know, Baby Girl, do you forgive me?" he asks with a soft smile as his blue eyes look into my blue-green eyes.

I smile back at him and say, "I don't know if I can forgive you. I have to think about it."

"You have to think about it huh?" he asks scooping me up in his arms causing me to squeal. "Maybe I can persuade you," he says.

"Yes, I have to think about it," I say with a smile as he carries me to the bed and lays me down as he towers over me. "I love you," I say with a smile.

"I love you too," he says leaning down, he captures my lips with his and kisses me softly. I wrap my arms around his neck as he deepens the kiss. "How's your knee feeling today?"

"It's okay," I say as he rolls over and lies next to me propping his head on his fist as he props himself up with his elbow. He places his hand on my hip as he pulls me toward him. "Are you upset with me for telling you not to bring Alani in the middle of your controversy?"

"No," he says, "Willow, I'm not upset. I told you that you're right. Were you ever put in the middle of your parents?"

"ALL the time, my mama would put me in the middle of her and my dad all the time. I hated it. It made me feel uncomfortable. My mama always tried to outdo my dad and she always tried to tear him down in front of me. I just don't think that's how situations with another parent should be handled. I love my dad and to hear him get torn apart by mom hurt me just like I'm sure it hurt Alani that you told her that you don't like her calling Gage dad. I don't agree with it but at the same time the fact that she wants to call him dad is a good sign. It means he treats her well enough that she thinks of him that way just like with me but I won't allow it out of respect for Vanessa."

"I'm asking too much of you," he says.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you're only 25 years old and I'm asking you to help take responsibility for a child that isn't yours and putting you in the middle of some newly started drama that never existed before today."

"Hey," I say as stroke my fingertips over his bicep. "You're not asking me to do anything I don't want to do, Joe. I knew you had a daughter. It's what I signed up for. I know you're going to have disagreements with her mom from time to time and I also know that Alani comes number one in your life but I also know my place as your girlfriend I'm here to support you any way that I can. I'm here for you, Baby. I always will be. I'm not going anywhere. Alani means the world to you I can see that."

"You're amazing," he says with a smile before he kisses my lips softly. "How did I get so lucky?"

"I don't know," I say with a smile before I take his mouth and share a kiss with him. "I don't know but seeing you with Alani gives me hope of how amazing of a father you are going to be when we have kids together."

"I try my best," he says with a smile. "So I'm going to be getting the championship in the near future all the kid talk might have to wait a bit."

"I thought they didn't want to give you the belt until the spring time?" I ask.

"Well, they didn't but with Sheamus as champion they aren't really getting the ratings they want. The ratings dropped after Sheamus won the belt at Survivor Series from me. They feel that with him as the champion that it is not good for business so they told me in the near future I'll be getting the championship."

"Oh my God!" I say as I wrap my arms around him with excitement. "I'm so happy for you, Baby!"

"Thanks but it didn't happen yet so let's not get too excited but it looks like it will happen. I just don't know when. It could be at TLC or it could be after I'm not sure when I just know I'm due for the championship soon."

"That's going to be a great moment for you. You deserve this more than anyone in the back. You have worked so hard and have been through so much. You truly deserve this."

"Thanks, Baby Girl and I want you there the night it happens. I want you to see me win."

"Whenever it is I'll be there. I'll always be there for you," I say with a smile before he smiles and kisses my lips softly. "So my knee is feeling really good if you want to have a pre-celebration."

"Sounds good to me," he says with a smile as he kisses my lips softly. We spend the night making passionate love to one another until the night sky gives away to dawn before we fall asleep in each other's arms.

 **ROMAN's POINT OF VIEW:**

The doorbell rings as Willow, Alani and I are playing with her Barbie dolls in the living room that we got her for her birthday. "That's probably your mama," I say as I get up off the floor with a grunt.

"Listen to you, Old man," says Willow with a smile as she smacks my ass softly.

"I'm younger than you think," I say with a smile before I bend down and kiss the top of her head. "You already know."

"Yeah sure I do," she says with a smile as the doorbell rings again.

"Coming!" I yell as I hurry to the door. I open the door as soon as I reach it and see Vanessa standing there. "Good afternoon," I say.

"Hi," she says, "is she ready to go?"

"Just a minute," I say, "I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Does it have to be today? I really don't have time for a talk right now."

"It is going to be today. We took Alani out for dinner last night for her birthday and she asked if she could call Willow Mama."

"Absolutely not, Willow isn't her mom, you two are only living together and sleeping together. You're not married."

"Like you are apparently, I thought you didn't want marriage, Vanessa what happened there?"

"It just happened," she says, "it's not your business but as for Alani calling Willow mommy the answer is no. Willow is not her mom and she never will be."

"And Willow isn't trying to replace you or anything but she does truly care for Alani and she cares about your feelings too. She said no to the question because she didn't want to step on your toes. But that brings me to something else that I want to discuss with you."

"What, Joe?" she asks getting impatient as she shifts her weight to the other "Is it about me being married?"

"I don't care about that because I'll be married soon enough and what you do with your life is none of my business just like what I do is none of your business. What bothers me is that you are allowing Alani to call Gage Daddy. I don't like that just like you don't like the thought of her calling Willow mommy. I want it to stop. Gage is her stepfather. That's all he will ever be to her. I'm her father and I don't want her calling another man dad."

"She knows you're her dad but she loves Gage too. He does a lot with her and for her."

"I do my best Vanessa if you're trying to take jabs at me. I had a whole day planned out with her today until you decided you were going to take my day away from me when you see her every day. I work 300 plus days a year. You live on the other side of the country I think when it's my time I deserve to have her for the whole time not just part of the time because you make plans on my day. That's not fair to me."

"I had to do it before we leave," she says.

"But you're coming back in a couple weeks," I say, "You could have taken her to Sea World any time when you moved here but you chose to do it on my day. I would NEVER do that to you."

"Joe, my sister wanted to do it today."

"And that's when you tell her no, Vanessa. You knew it was my day and that we had plans for her. You chose to ignore that and be difficult. Why are you being difficult all of a sudden? We never had these problems before."

"I just don't think Alani should be spending so much time with Willow," she says. "When she comes here she's here to spend time with you not with Willow. I always hear about Willow at home."

"So you're jealous of my girlfriend and the impact she has on Alani's life. I assure you Willow is not a bad person. She loves Alani and they get along well. You should get used to her spending a lot of time with Willow because she's not going anywhere. Willow is here to stay. You can accept that or you can't I don't care but know that Willow is not going anywhere."

"As long as she knows her place," she says.

"She does but you might want Gage to learn his. I'm not going to fight with you over my personal business or yours. We have been amicable up until now and been respectful of each other. We're not going to change that," I say. "When you move to Florida we're going to discuss visitation. I would like to get her Wednesdays through Friday. I am capable of getting her to and from school. I want to get as much time in with her as I can while I'm home. Are you okay with that?"

"I'm fine with that," she says. "As long as you get her to school, we bought a house two blocks away so we'll be close enough to you."

"Sounds great," I say before I call Alani to the door so that she can enjoy her birthday at Sea World.

"Hi, Mama!" says Alani as she meets us at the door.

"Hi, Beautiful," she says with a smile giving her a hug. "Did you have fun?"

"I had a lot of fun. Daddy and Willow got me a lot of Barbie dolls."

"That's fun," she says with a smile. "I'm glad you had a good time. Are you ready to go?"

"I don't want to go," she says, "I want to stay with Daddy and Willow," she says.

"But we have plans for today," she says.

"But I was having so much fun playing with Daddy and Willow, Mama, can I stay with them please?"

"You don't want to go to Sea World with us?" asks Vanessa.

"No, Mama, I want to stay with Daddy and Willow," she says and I can see Vanessa's feelings are hurt. As much as I want Alani to stay I don't want Vanessa to be hurt.

"Alani," I say getting down on her level. "You are going to have a lot of fun with your mama today and your cousins."

"But I don't want to go, Daddy," she says.

"I know but your mama made these plans to go to Sea World. You're going to have a lot of fun. You're going to see the dolphins and the penguins. You can even see Shamu. It's going to be so much fun. Willow and I are just going to do some boring stuff probably clean and watch adult shows that little girls don't like," I say.

"But I want to stay with you," she says sadly, "please, Daddy."

"Hey," I say lifting her chin. "I promise if you go to Sea World with your mama and your cousins that when you move to Tampa Willow and I will spend the whole day with you doing whatever you want to do. How does that sound?"

"Okay," she says. "Bye, Daddy," she says giving me a hug.

"Bye Lani," I say hugging her back. "I love you," I say kissing her cheek.

"I love you too, Daddy," she says breaking my heart with her sadness.

"Are you ready?" asks Vanessa taking her hand.

"I guess, Mama," she says before Vanessa opens the door. "Bye, Daddy," she says with a small wave.

"Bye, Alani," I say waving back as I watch them walk out the door and to the car. I close the door and stand with my back against it. It kills me knowing that I had to make her leave when she didn't want to leave. I never want to push her away but I knew Vanessa would have been upset if I told her she could stay. I just want more time with my baby girl and hopefully when they get to Tampa it happens.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Joe apologizing to Willow for what happened at the restaurant? Do you think that Willow understands how Alani felt when Joe put her in the middle? What do you think of Willow accepting all this responsibility as his girlfriend? How do you think the talk with Vanessa and Roman went? Do you think things will change once they move to Florida? What about Alani not wanting to leave Joe? Why do you think that is? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	33. Chapter 33

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter they were greatly appreciated thank-you all so much***

 **A COUPLE WEEKS LATER:**

"So what happens now?" Willow asks me as we arrive at the Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia. It is not my most favorite arena but it is the arena that holds the most memories as far as my career goes. I won the Royal Rumble in this same arena and was booed out of the arena at the same time. I'm not sure how the fans will react to me tonight or how they will ever react to me in Philadelphia. It's always a mystery; sometimes they love me and sometimes they hate me. Last trip to Philadelphia they were a mixed crowd anything can happen with them.

"I have no idea," I say as we make our way into the arena. "I'm sorry that you came last night but I didn't win."

"It's all right," she says as I hold the door open for her as she limps in. "Watching you turn into an angry Samoan was good enough," she says making me smile. "You snapping out on Triple H was pretty hot. I have to say. It's like you've had enough of them jerking you around and honestly I don't blame you. You always come so close and always end up losing. It's not fair."

"It is what it is," I say, "I work harder and focus more after every loss. I'm getting used to it though."

"And you shouldn't be," she says as I take her hand into mine as we walk down the hallway to my locker room. "It's not fair what they are doing to you. I don't know how much more you have to prove yourself to them and prove that you're dedicated to this business," she says as Dean walks up to us holding his Intercontinental championship.

"I'm sorry about last night, Bro," he says to me. "You put up one hell of a fight but what happened after the match was pure gold. They're going for a big storyline now with you. Any time you're involved with the Authority it's big. That's a good sign."

"I hope," I say, "I haven't found out what the game plan is for tonight."

"Probably the same old thing," says Dean. "Hey, Willow."

"Hey," she says with a soft smile. "How does it feel to have gold around your waist? Congratulations."

"It feels pretty damn good. I put in a lot of hours and a lot of work for this baby," he says tapping the belt.

"You did," says Willow with a smile. "Good work, you deserve it now if only Joe can get his hands on the WWE championship that would be great. Just imagine you two each holding a belt. You with the intercontinental championship and Joe with the WWE championship that would be amazing, you both work hard enough and dedicate so much time to this business you both deserve to be at the top."

"Joe's time is going to come," says Dean, "they can't keep him losing forever."

"That's true," I say with a smile as one of the men in the back walks up to me.

"Joe, Hunter and Vince would like to speak with you about tonight," he says.

"Now?"

"They told me that as soon as you arrived at the arena they wanted me to send you to them."

"All right," I say. "I'll go talk to them. Can you make it to the locker room?" I ask Willow.

"Sure," she says. "I'll meet you in the locker room."

"Sounds good, love you," I say before I kiss her lips softly.

"Love you too," she says with a smile before I walk away with my bag to go meet with Vince and Hunter. I don't know what it's all about but hopefully they're going to tell me I'm finally getting my championship at the Royal Rumble.

I make my way down to Vince's and Hunter's office to talk to them. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. Any time I have a meeting with the boss I get a little nervous. I take a deep breath and let it out as I knock on the door. "Come in," says Vince. I open the door and make my way into his office. "Joe; Roman Reigns, just the person we wanted to see. Please have a seat," he says.

"Thank-you," I say with a smile as I take a seat in one of the chairs in his office. "I'm not sure if I should be happy or scared to be here."

"Nothing to be afraid of," says Hunter. "Good work last night. It was perfect you really got the crowd behind you last night. That was impressive. What we've been working on with you is building you up for the crowd, building you up for what happened last night. We had you lose match after match, had you come close and then take it away to get the crowd behind you, to make them feel sorry for you. That was our intention. We want to build you up to the crowd, get them behind you, make them feel sorry for you. Then last night we had you lose to Sheamus again but this time we wanted to you to show everyone you had enough so your attack on Sheamus and League of Nations was pure gold and then your attack on me was even better. The fans loved it, they really got behind you and found support in you. The thank-you Roman chants were perfect," he says.

"So now that the crowd is behind me because they feel sorry for me. Now what? What happens now?" I ask.

"Now we give you the championship," says Vince. "Tonight is the night, Roman."

"Here in Philadelphia? In front of the same crowd that didn't want me win the Royal Rumble you want to give me the championship here?" I ask.

"Full circle," says Hunter. "Everything is coming full circle in the last year. December 14th, 2014 last year you made your return back to the ring after a few months after having emergency surgery. You won the Royal Rumble in Philadelphia in front of a crowd that hated you and wanted to see you lose. You handled it well. Every time you lost, you humbly accepted each loss. You didn't get upset, you didn't lash out you took it humbly and worked harder. Your hard work has not gone unnoticed," he says. "I'm proud of your work ethic, Joe. You arrive at the arena hours before the show starts, you help where you can. You are a hard worker, you're dedicated and you're humble. You've come a long way. When you first broke off as a single's guy you were a little rough on the promos and a little rough in the ring but since then you have really improved, your promos have gotten a lot better and your in-ring performance has gotten even better. We've been watching so don't think your hard work and dedication has gone unnoticed. We're impressed with you. We needed to come up with a plan to get the fans to accept you without turning you heel. Tonight we want your whole year to come full circle."

"And if the Philly crowd riots then what?" I ask.

"That's why we are going to test them out early in the night," says Hunter. "Stephanie is going to come out and cut a promo about you. You're going to come out. If the crowd is welcoming of you that will determine the outcome of the match tonight, Stephanie isn't going to fire you but she is going to slap you around a little bit and then after that she's going to tell you Vince is coming to make the final decision. Vince is going to arrive, call you out to the ring. He's going to want you to apologize to for the attack. You're going to refuse. Sheamus is going to come out and challenge you and put his championship on the line. Vince will say no at first and then you're going to challenge Vince's integrity. Vince is going to make the match. You either win the championship or you're fired. IF the crowd is on your side the outcome is obvious. We won't know until before the match what will happen."

"And if I lose then what? I'm going to lose TV time," I say. "That doesn't seem fair."

"If you get fired," says Hunter, "hopefully the fans start to rebel and want you to come back. Then we'll bring you back for the Royal Rumble to prove yourself. You wouldn't be out long. I promise."

"Okay," I say with a nod. "So you really want to do this tonight?"

Hunter and Vince look at each other and nod. "It's what we want," he says. "Now, go get ready for tonight. It could be your big night," he says. "Thank-you for the hard work and dedication."

"Thank-you for the opportunity," I say standing up and shaking their hands.

I make my way back to my locker room thinking about how tonight could be the night. The night I have been waiting for. I won the championship for 5 minutes at Survivor Series but this time it will be much longer, so much longer. I walk into the locker room to see Willow sitting on the bench reading a book. She looks up at me and says, "so what was that all about?"

I take a seat next to her with a smile on my face. "I might be getting the championship tonight," I say.

"You serious?"

"100," I say with a smile. "That's what they wanted to talk to me about. Depending on crowd reaction to me tonight will determine whether I win or lose. If I lose I'll be off work for a few weeks."

"Why?"

"Because I'll be fired, they said they would bring me back by the Royal Rumble if that happened but I would rather it not happen."

"You could spend time with me," she says with a smile. "We could get ready for Christmas together."

"That would be nice but I would like to be the champion. It's just something I want."

"I know, Baby," she says closing her book. "I hope you get it. It's been a long time coming."

"It really has," I say. "My whole world could change tonight. They gave me so many good compliments. They told me I'm humble and I'm a hard worker."

"They aren't lying," she says. "I have never seen a man more dedicated or humbler than you. I've never seen anyone work as hard as you do except my father and that's one hell of a compliment. You're a great performer and your promo work has improved so much. I hope tonight is your night."

"Me too, Baby Girl," I say as she rests her head on my chest. "I want to bring that championship home for you and Alani. I want to make you two proud of me."

"We already are," she says with a smile. "You nervous about winning it here in Philly?"

"I don't know. I never know what to expect from this crowd. I hope it's not a repeat of the Royal Rumble if it happens. I don't want it to turn into that."

"I hope it doesn't' for you, Baby. I hope tonight is the night."

"Me too," I say. "You'll be there to watch right?"

"Always," she says with a smile. "You're my number 1 guy I'll always be here for you and always in your corner whether you win or lose. I've got your back and I always will."

"I love you, Willow."

"I love you too, Baby," she says with a smile before I lean down and kiss her lips softly. "You and me can have a celebration after the match tonight if I win."

"We can have a celebration if you lose too," she says. "You're always a winner to me."

"Thank-you, Baby Girl," I say with a smile of appreciation.

The entire evening whirls by. I had an amazing promo with Stephanie McMahon even though she slapped me around a bit but the crowd reaction was awesome. I got a very nice welcome from the crowd. We tried it out again with Vince. The promo was just as great. When Sheamus mentioned the match and putting the championship on the line the crowd went crazy and booed when Vince said no but he granted Sheamus the match and told me that if I don't win I'm fired before he delivered a low blow to me. Everything between then and now is a blur. I hardly remember preparing for the match as I stand ready to make my entrance. I got the news on what will happen during the match and how it ends. I prepare myself to walk through the crowd. My music hits and I make my way to the ring walking through the crowd touching hands with the fans as I make my way. Vince is waiting for me as I jump over the barrier. I just look at him before I make my way into the ring to wait for Sheamus.

The moment the bell rings after Lillian announces the match and what it's for the match starts up. It's pretty much a blur. I'm lost in the chemistry between Sheamus and I. A better match than our previous one at TLC, it is a lot of back and forth. He gets some close calls and I get some close calls. In the middle of the match he hits me against the turnbuckle and I get busted open. With blood pouring down my face I hit him with a superman punch and go for the cover just as the ref's hand goes for the three he is pulled from the ring by Vince. I have nothing but desperation and frustration running through me. Vince keeps him distracted for a bit and Sheamus hits me with the Brogue kick. Vince sends the referee into the ring and I kick out on two. Vince can't believe it, the crowd can't believe it. Vince gets up on the apron again distracting the ref as Sheamus kicks me out of the ring. As soon as I am out of the ring League of Nations comes out to attack me. I hit Del Rio with a superman punch and then hit Rusev with a superman punch before I get into the ring. I see what's happening as Vince keeps the ref distracted. I superman punch Vince McMahon off the apron and turn around into another Brogue kick. The ref starts the count and again I kick out on two. I struggle to get up as Sheamus goes to the corner for his next move. I turn around from the corner and as Sheamus comes at me with his next move I hit him with a powerful spear. One, Two, Three, the ref's hand hits the mat and everything becomes surreal, it's like a dream. "And the winner and your NEW WWE Heavyweight champion; Roman Reigns!" announces Lillian as the ref hands me the belt. I lay in the ring for a minute admiring the belt and show it in the camera telling Alani and Willow I did it for them.

Tears fill my eyes as I celebrate my big win. The crowd cheers for me as I climb up on the turnbuckle to hold up the championship. I celebrate as RAW goes off the air and just as the show is over my cousins the Uso's and my best friend Dean come out to the ring to celebrate with me. They each give me a hug and as I turn around from hugging Dean I see Willow climbing into the ring with a smile on her face. I hold my arms out to her and she walks into my arms and gives me a hug. "People are going to know about us," I say as our foreheads touch.

"Let them know, I don't care, you're my champion and I love you. Congratulations, Baby," she says making me smile before I kiss her lips passionately.

"I love you too," I say with a smile as we break the kiss. She smiles at me and holds my hand up in victory before Jimmy and Jey put me on their shoulders while Dean and Willow clap for me. My entire year came full circle and I couldn't be happier. They put me down and they give me a microphone. "I did it," I say, "Last time I was in this arena I won the Royal Rumble and you guys kicked my ass when you weren't happy about it. It drove me to be better. Sometimes you have to get knocked on your ass to make yourself better. Thank-you, Philly. And one more thing," I say wrapping my arm around Willow's shoulder, "this beautiful woman is my girlfriend and I love her very much. And Alani, Baby this is for you and Willow. Daddy's coming home as the champion," I say with a smile as I hold the championship up in the air once more before I kiss Willow's lips again.

 ***A/N: What do you think of the support Willow has for Roman? What did you think of Roman winning the championship? Did you agree with Hunter and Vince on his work ethic? What did you think of Roman announcing to the WWE universe that him and Willow are together? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	34. Chapter 34

***THank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. THey were greatly appreciated thank-you all so much***

"This is just how I wanted to spend my Christmas Eve Day," says Dean as we walk into a jewelry store in Tampa. Dean and Renee are spending Christmas with us as well as Willow's parents and Alani will be with us tonight into tomorrow morning before her mom picks her up. "What are we doing in a jewelry store anyway?"

"You don't want to get Renee a necklace or a bracelet for Christmas?" I ask.

"Not really. I know what Renee likes. She likes those moccasin boots and moccasins she has a very different taste than one would believe. She likes her jewelry but at the same time I know what she's been wishing for all year."

"I see," I say as we walk up to the counter.

"Wait a minute," he says, "you're going to propose to Willow aren't you?" he asks.

"Not today," I say with a smile, "but it does go with part of her Christmas present."

"What did you get her for Christmas? And why are we here if you're not doing this tonight?"

"Because of the present I got her," I say, "stop asking so many questions."

"I wouldn't have to ask so many questions if you told me what you got her."

"You'll just have to wait and see," I say as one of the jewelers come over to us.

"Good afternoon," says the blonde with her hair pulled up into a French twist, her green eyes sparkling and her glossed lips parted smiling showing off her perfect straight teeth. She was dressed in a white blouse and a pair of black pants. I could feel she was attracted to me. "How may I help you today? Are you looking for anything in particular? A watch maybe? We have some beautiful watches," she says eagerly.

"Actually," I say, "I'm looking for an engagement ring for my girlfriend," I say.

"Oh," she says with her eagerness fading. "Well, we definitely have a beautiful selection of engagement rings for the special woman in your life. Are you sure you wouldn't like a nice pair of earrings or a necklace for her?"

"I'm sure that I want to get an engagement ring, Audrey," I say to her after reading her name tag. "Can you show me the engagement rings please?"

"Yes, Sir, follow me please," she says leading the way over to the case containing dozens of diamond rings. I stand over the case looking at them. There are so many beautiful diamonds. I have no idea what I'm looking for when it comes to Willow. She's a simple country girl but she loves her jewelry. I want to get her the best ring a girl can have but at the same time I know the size of the ring won't matter to her as long as I am promising the rest of my life to her. Dean looks at the rings too being my support system. "Do you know what kind of ring you're looking for what style?"

"There's different styles?" I ask.

"Yes, there's emerald cut, princess cut, oval," she says, "the princess cut is the favorite choice of most females."

"I see," I say. "I was looking for a ring that has a diamond and sapphires on it. Do you have any of those?"

"We actually do have a nice selection of diamond sapphire rings," she says as we move to another case where she shows me a selection of rings with diamonds surrounded by sapphires or sapphires surrounded by diamonds. They are all very beautiful rings and I know Willow will like any of them but I want the ring I pick to be special and be something meaningful to her; to us.

My eyes are drawn to a ring shaped in a heart with a blue sapphire in the middle surrounded by tiny diamonds. It is the most beautiful ring I have ever seen. Then there is a diamond ring in a princess cut style. The large jewel in the middle is a diamond and the two jewels on each side are a blue sapphire. It's breathtakingly beautiful. "Which one between these two would you think Willow would like best?" I ask Dean.

"Well," he says. "I think they are both beautiful but this is Willow. She's different. She's not worried about the size of a diamond or what an engagement ring looks like. She's going to want something simple, something meaningful. I like the heart but I don't think Willow will like it much. I think she will like this one better," he says pointing to the princess cut diamond surrounded by two sapphires.

"I like that one too," I say. "I think it's beautiful. I can see it on her finger right now."

"I think you should go for it," he says, "I mean if this is what you really want to do."

"I have never been more sure of anything in my life," I say with a smile. "I want this one," I say pointing to the ring.

"Do you know the size you need?"

"7," I answer.

"Okay," says Audrey. "Let me go check the back and we'll see if we have any in a size 7. It's a beautiful ring the woman you're giving it to is very lucky."

"It's me that's the lucky one," I say with a smile. She huffs and makes her way to the back to look for a size 7 ring for Willow. "She's not very friendly."

"She was until you told her you were here for an engagement ring," he says with amusement. "I never thought I would see the day when Roman Reigns decided to settle down and give up his life as a tramp."

"Did you just call me a tramp?" I ask crossing my arms. "Is that what you think of me?"

"Let's be honest until Willow tamed you, you were a man whore sleeping with anyone you could. Every town there was a different woman sometimes two at a time. I don't know how she did it but she did it and tamed the wild beast inside of you."

"How do you know I'm not still a wild beast but just save it all for Willow?" I ask. "Hmm?"

"I don't need to know all of that," he says with a smile. "I'm happy for you, Bro. I just hope she says yes."

"You think she will say no?"

"She said no how many times before she decided to date you? Willow doesn't seem like one for commitment."

"I'll have you know we've been discussing children and marriage. I'm pretty positive that she's going to say yes."

"She lives with you," he says, "I wasn't doubting it. I was just messing with you," he says putting his hand on my shoulder. "I am the best man right?"

"Of course," I say. "You're the best man."

"I found a size 7," says Audrey as she comes out from the back with a navy blue ring box in her hand.

"Thank-you," I say with a smile as she hands it to me. I look at the ring and smile. It's beautiful. The diamond and sapphires are going to look beautiful on Willow's finger. I can only imagine the day I ask her to be my wife. I have something so beautiful planned for her that I know she's going to love. I want it to be special and memorable. Willow is a tomboy at heart but she is a true romantic. A simple proposal isn't going to work with her it has to be like one of her literary heroes would do. I pay for the ring and put it in my pocket to keep it hidden for the time I need it.

I walk into the kitchen later that night to see Willow, Renee and Michelle in the kitchen working on dinner. Willow looks beautiful in her red dress that hugs her body perfectly and shows off all her perfect curves. Her recently dyed dark brown hair hanging down to her waist, she completes the outfit with a pair of black boots that come up to her knees. I walk over to her and wrap my arms around her waist. "Merry Christmas, Beautiful," I say with a smile before I kiss the nape of her neck as she is working on the cranberry sauce.

"Merry Christmas," she says with a smile in her voice. "You're in a good mood."

"I'm spending Christmas with my two favorite girls," I say. "Of course I'm in a good mood. I match you tonight."

"Let me see," she says as she turns to face me, her blue green eyes look me up and down. She smiles at me and says. "Red and black are my two favorite colors on you. Seeing you in that red vest is a nice sight I can't complain," she says with a smile. I purposely chose to wear a pair of black pants, a white shirt and a red vest to match her. We picked out a red dress for Alani and a pair of black boots similar to Willow's. We wanted to coordinate as a family.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" I ask.

"If you would like to set the table that would be great," she says, "dinner is almost ready."

"Okay," I say. "did you want me to put the wine on the table too?"

"Yes please," she says with a smile as I go to walk away. "Joe," she says stopping me by pulling my arm.

"Yeah?"

"I love you, Baby," she says with a smile, "Merry Christmas," she says before she kisses my lips softly.

"I love you too," I say with a smile before I go to set the table for her.

We enjoy a nice family dinner with my parents, my brother, Alani, Willow's dad, Michelle and her sisters as well as Dean and Renee. Willow went all out making a honey glazed ham with pineapple on the top, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and corn. She did an amazing job. We all talked around the table. Everyone complimented Willow on how nice the house looked that she decorated for Christmas it was one of the best houses on the block. They complimented her on dinner and thanked her for having them over for Christmas Eve. "Willow has always enjoyed Christmas," says Mark as we are sitting in the living room having some wine and talking before we open up presents.

"Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. My biggest dream which I know will never happen but I would love to have a white Christmas. I love Florida and living in the south but for one year I would like to experience a cold Christmas and light snow. I think it would be beautiful."

"Maybe someday," I say with a smile as I stroke her shoulder with my thumb. "What are you doing, Alani?" I ask her as she's sitting at the coffee table coloring a picture.

"I'm making a picture for Santa and Rudolph," she says. "I want to thank him for all the presents he's going to bring me."

"Good idea," I say, "Are you going to leave cookies and milk out for him too?"

"And a carrot for Rudolph and all the other reindeer," she says with a smile as she goes back to coloring her picture. I have never enjoyed a Christmas morning with her and I'm looking forward to it this year.

"I'm sure he's going to like that," I say with a smile.

"So you go back to work tomorrow, Joe?" asks mom.

"Yes, Mom, I flight out tomorrow night to New York for a show on Friday evening. I'm not happy about it but I have to do what I need to do."

"It's part of the job," says Willow as she places her hand on my thigh. "He's the WWE Champion," she says proudly.

"How does it feel?" asks Mark.

"It feels pretty damn good," I say. "I have wanted this for so long. I'm happy that I'm finally getting my chance. Not sure how long it's going to last but I'm enjoying the ride."

"And you and Willow announced to the world that you're together," says Mark. "How's that going over with the public?"

"Some people love it and some people hate it," says Willow. "A lot of people have made collages of us but it's kind of hard when we have kept our relationship private this far. I think we will continue to keep it private by not posting pictures of us on social media and what not but let them know we're still together. I like it that way."

"Fame is a hard thing to come by," says Mark. "You're going to be either hated or loved. It all depends on the fans. There's going to be negative talk about you two and if you let it, it will tear you apart. The best thing to do is ignore social media and ignore those that don't know you. You're going to realize that there are some people out there that will not be happy until you two are torn apart."

"Well, that's never going to happen," I say as I continue to stroke Willow's shoulder. "I don't plan on going anywhere and I don't think Willow does either."

"I don't," she says with a smile. "It's all something new to us but we are strong enough to stand up against the negativity. I'm not worried about ring rats and women that are after Joe. It's been happening for years, it's been happening for months. I know at the end of the night he's coming home to me and that his heart belongs to me."

"Good outlook," says my dad.

"So who's ready to open up presents?" I ask.

"ME!" yells Alani. "I'm ready to open presents," she says with the childish gleam in her eyes that all children have on Christmas Eve.

"Okay," I say getting up as I walk over to the tree to pick up the presents we have for her on Christmas Eve. I bring the three presents over to her as Willow gets her presents for me. I go back to the tree and get the presents I have for Willow and the ones she got for her parents as well as the ones I got for my parents.

"Can I open them, Daddy?" she asks.

"Of course," I say as I sit down next to Willow after handing everyone their gifts. "Those are from Willow and me."

"Okay," she says opening the first present. "Christmas Pajamas!" she yells with excitement. "I love them," she says holding up the Christmas themed pajamas. She goes to the next present and opens it up. "A necklace," she says with a smile. "I love it. It's so pretty." She shows everyone the necklace with a topaz heart. Willow and I smile at each other as she opens her final Christmas Eve present. She tears it open with childish excitement and lets out a squeal when she sees what she was given. "An American Girl Doll! Thank-you, Daddy," she says standing up to give me a hug. "Thank-you, Willow!" she says giving Willow a hug.

"You're welcome, Lani," says Willow as she hugs her back.

We give everyone else a chance to open their gifts before we open our own. "Why don't you open your presents first?" I ask Willow.

"You can open yours first," says Willow, "I'll wait."

"Okay," I say with a smile as I open the first gift. I open the box and see it is a Rolex watch. "Thanks," I say with a smile before I kiss her lips softly. I open the next gift to see she bought me a pair of the new Jordans.

"I have one more gift for you," she whispers in my ear making me smile, "but you have to wait till we're alone later."

"Sounds good to me," I say with a smile before we share a quick soft kiss. "Open yours," I say with a smile.

"Okay," she says with a smile. She opens the first present which is a long box. She smiles as she pulls out a necklace with a key on it. She reads the note inside the box. "The key to your heart," she says with a smile. "That's beautiful."

"You're the only one that holds the key," I say with a smile.

She smiles back at me before she takes the necklace out of the box. She wraps it around her neck and I help her put it on. It's a beautiful key covered in diamonds. It sparkles around her neck as it dangles over her cleavage. She opens the next present which is just a card. I smile as she opens the card and watch the look on her face as she finds the gift inside. "Plane tickets," she says softly. "You got me plane tickets to England," she says with a smile as I see the tears forming in her eyes.

"Yes," I say with a smile. "We're going to England."

"It says we're leaving on the 29th," she says, "I thought you worked? How did you get the time off? What about you being the champion?"

"About that," I say, "I'm going to be getting some time off. I figured what better time to go to England than now. It's the best time before the rush of Wrestlemania starts."

"Oh my God!" she says with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Please tell me those are happy tears," I say.

"Ecstatic," she says before she throws her arms around my neck. "The best Christmas present ever!"

"I'm happy," I say as I wrap my arms around her. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," she says before we share a soft kiss.

 ***A/N: what did you think of Roman picking out the engagement ring? What do you think he has planned with it? How do you think their Christmas went? What did you think of Roman's Christmas gift to Willow? What did you think of her crying because of getting her tickets to England? PLease review and thank-you for reading.**


	35. Chapter 35

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. THank-you all so much***

Mine and Willow's trip to England has been a beautiful trip and we have had a lot of fun with our trip. I made the trip all about her and what she wanted or I knew that she would love. I have never seen her smile so much as I have the last few days we have spent in England. Our trip started off when I had to drop the belt on Raw because I put my hands on Vince McMahon and he fired me. I'm off TV till the Royal Rumble where I will fight Triple H to get my job back and hopefully my championship. I'm enjoying the time off with Willow. I felt there was no better time for us to go to England than now and it has been a beautiful trip. We spent our first day exploring London visiting Buckingham palace and seeing Big Ben. Our second day we went to visit Charles Dickens' hometown. Charles Dickens is one of Willow's favorite authors so she enjoyed doing that. I took her to the Charles Dickens museum and Dickens birthplace museum. The third day we were here I took her to Jane Austen's hometown in Bath. Willow is a die hard Jane Austen fan and has read her works like Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice more times than I can count. We visited the Jane Austen house museum and learned about how Austen came up with the ideas of her works. It was interesting to note that she didn't like Bath but she enjoyed writing about it in her works. The fourth day we went to Shakesphere's hometown and visited many places regarding his works and his life. We ended the day by going to The Royal Shakesphere Theater and enjoying two of his plays; Romeo and Juliet and then MacBeth.

Today I saved the best for last. Emily Bronte and Charlotte Bronte are two of Willow's favorite authors; Emily being her most favorite. The times she has read Wuthering Heights can't even be counted. She idolizes Emily and Charlotte has been interested in their lives for the longest time. She had mentioned to me a while back if we ever got to England that she wanted to visit the hometown of Emily and Charlotte so I made sure it was possible, I made sure it would happen. The moment we arrived at the Bronte's home museum Willow's eyes welled up with tears and she was beyond ecstatic. We traveled through the museum and Willow was in her element. She was explaining to me that Emily only ever wrote one book before her untimely death but Charlotte went on to be very successful. She told me about their reclusive life growing up and she explained all of their works to me. My heart swelled at seeing her so happy; the smile on her face was heart melting. She was having fun and I was having fun watching her. The trip had been everything she could have imagined and the sad part is we have to end our time in England to go back home but we were making the best of the evening.

"So what have you thought of the trip so far?" I ask her as we are having a nice dinner of French food.

"So far? The trip is pretty much over; much to my dismay," she says looking at me with her beautiful blue eyes lacking their normal green tint. She couldn't have looked any more beautiful than she does tonight. She has her dyed dark hair that's normally red pulled up into a bun wearing the beautiful black strapless dress that she bought on our trip. She has a set of beautiful white pearls around her neck and matching pearl earrings. Her dress is one of the most beautiful I have seen her wear falling just below her knee, strapless with a rhinestone belt across her flat stomach. Her small muscles exposed and her tattoos on her shoulders shown to the world. Her make up light giving off more of a natural look. Her blue eyes shined in the candlelight and glittered with love. "You did good, Baby," she says with a smile.

"I'm glad," I say fidgeting in my seat thinking about the rest of our evening and everything I have planned for us. "What was your favorite part?"

"All of it has been my favorite," she says, "but my absolute favorite part was seeing the Bronte's Home Museum. It was a dream come true. I have always wanted to see it. I had a lot of fun but this whole trip has been my favorite, just spending time with you away from everyone back home, away from the ring and just enjoying ourselves together," she says before taking a sip of wine. "It's been great. I want to keep you longer."

I smile at her with a small chuckle and say, "I'm always going to be yours. You are always going to keep me," I say with a smile.

"You know what I meant, while you're not on the road. I'm enjoying this time together. I miss you while you're away. There's nothing for me to really do but sit at home and do nothing. It's so boring without I have Romeo to keep me company but still I'm bored without you and I miss you entirely too much. More than I have ever missed anyone in my life."

"I know, Baby Girl," I say with a sigh. "You'll be back on the road soon enough. How is your PT going and your recovery going?"

"PT is going great, I'm wearing heels again; comfortably," she says with a smile. "My knee is getting so much better. I'm glad to be off those crutches. Ryan said that I could possibly return to the ring before April so I might be back in time for Wrestlemania which would be great. I would love that."

"That would be fantastic, you going to get to go for the title?"

"I hope so," she says, "that's my goal."

"Just don't over work yourself and don't rush your recovery. The last thing you want to happen is to rush back and not be fully healed causing another major injury that could put you out of action forever. The championship will always be there. I don't want to see you lose your career because you rush back from injury."

"I won't rush back. I'll wait for the doctor to give me the okay. He's the ultimate one to make the decision at the end of the day."

"That's true. I can't wait till you're back in the ring but I'm happy with you not rushing your way back into the ring."

"I won't," she says with a smile, "so what happens are you still wrestling my dad at Mania?"

"I think so," I say. "I haven't heard too much about it. I probably will in the next couple weeks."

"Okay," she says. "Thank-you for the trip, Joe, I have had a really good time. It has been the best vacation I have ever taken in my life. Thank-you."

"I'm glad you had fun," I say with a smile, "but there's more."

"More?" she asks. "There's more? How could there possibly be more?"

"You'll see," I say with a smile as we continue to eat our dinner together in candlelight.

As we finish our dinner I pay the bill and leave a tip for our waiter. He has been amazing tending to our needs and making sure everything was going okay for us. I take Willow's hand as we make our way out of the restaurant. The cool air hits us and I wrap her up in my arms to keep her warm as we walk down the streets of Bath. "It's not too bad of a night," I say.

"Not really," she says, "just a little chilly. Where are we going? We missed our turn for the hotel didn't we?"

"I have a surprise for you," I say as we keep walking toward the Palladian Bridge one of the scenery bridges from Pride and Prejudice.

It comes into sight and she says, "isn't that the bridge that's in Pride and Prejudice?"

"I think so," I say as we get closer. I keep my eye on her to watch out for her reaction.

"I love Pride and Prejudice it's one of my favorite books, the story is so beautiful. I can't believe this…"she stops as we reach a trail of open books surrounded by lit candles leading us to the inside of the bridge. I smile as she takes it all in. "What did you do?" she asks as she looks up at me with her beautiful blue eyes.

"It's a surprise," I say with a smile. "I guess we should follow the trail," I say with amusement.

We walk up the trail all the open books are books that she has read and books that she has loved. I went out and bought them all to make this even more special. "It's beautiful," she says with a smile as we walk up the trail. I can't believe you did this."

"What can I say?" I ask with a small smile.

"Is this my surprise?"

"There's more," I say as we continue walking the winding path to the Palladian Bridge in Bath's Georgian Squares. We make our way around the trail and we come to all of her most favorite books in the shape of a heart. Candles are lit on the bridge lighting up the darkness as we enter inside the bridge.

"Joe," she says, "This is beautiful. You are the best," she says with gratitude in her voice.

"I have something for you," I say with a smile. I break my embrace with her and make my way to the box I have for her. I pick it up and hand it to her. "That's for you. That's part of your Christmas present. I thought about giving it to you on Christmas but I figured it would be better here in England. I hope you like it."

"Joe," she says as she takes the box. "You really didn't have to do this. You've done so much already, the necklace, the trip all of it has been perfect. You didn't need to do all of this."

"I wanted to," I say with a smile. "I wanted to make everything special for you."

"Okay," she says. "I love you. Thank-you," she says with a soft smile, her blue eyes glittering in the candlelight. She admires the grey box in her hand wrapped in a light pink bow. She removes the bow from the box and then takes the lid off the box. She pulls out the note inside that I had written. "Be with me always take any form drive me mad! Only do not leave me in this Abyss where I cannot find you! Oh God it is unutterable! I cannot live without my life, I cannot live without my soul." She looks up at me with tears in her eyes. "From Wuthering Heights," she says. "When he was proposing to Catherine," she says as she looks at the book in the box. "Wuthering Heights, I have this book," she says.

"I know," I say, "but this one is special for you, open it," I say with smile.

She opens the book as I fall to my knee in front of her inside the heart of books. She smiles as she looks in the box to see that I have hallowed out the book in the shape of a heart. In the middle of the heart is the diamond sapphire ring that I bought for her. "Joe," she says as I see her eyes fill up with tears as she looks at me. "What are you doing?" she asks as her pupils in her eyes dilate, eliminating the blue.

"Willow," I say taking her freehand into mine. "The moment you walked into my life everything changed. You brought a brightness in my life. I was heading down a dark road, searching for love in all the wrong places. I was rocked the moment you came into my life. You did not come without chaos and disorder. You shook up my life, you made me want you in a way I never wanted anyone else. You tamed the wild beast inside of me. You brought me nothing but happiness since the day you agreed to date me. It took a while to get there but you finally gave me a chance and my life has never been the same since. You are my other half, the other part of my soul, you're my life. I love falling asleep with you every night, waking up to you every morning. I love the chaos you bring my life, the beautiful chaos you bring my life. I feel like I have been searching for you my whole life and you were there. I love you, Willow, I will always love you. I would love nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you, to have forever with you, to complete the rest of my soul. Willow, will you marry me?" I ask as tears fill my eyes and hers.

"Whatever our souls are made of his and mine are the same; yes Joe I'll marry you," she says trying not to choke on her words. "I'll marry you," she says making me smile. "I love you." I take the ring from the book and place it onto her left ring finger. It fits perfectly. "It's beautiful," she says through her happy tears and sobs. "I love it. I love you," she says with a smile as I stand up. She wraps her arms around my neck as I wrap my arms around her waist.

"I love you too, forever, Willow, you and I will have forever," I say with a smile before I take her mouth for a sweet soft kiss. "Did I do a good job?" I ask.

"You did an amazing job," she says with a smile. "Can I take a picture to post on Instagram, a few pictures actually, to show the world that you're mine forever and show how amazing you made tonight and this entire trip."

"Please," I say with a smile. "I'll put it on Twitter too."

"Okay," she says with a smile. She holds up her hand after she takes her phone out of her coat pocket, we stand together and smile as she holds up her hand to show off the ring. She takes a picture of us and then takes another of us kissing. "How does this sound?" she asks. "I said yes! And then, he is mine forever," she says.

"Works for me," I say with a smile before I take a picture of us to put on Twitter. I hashtag it, mine forever, she said yes, my other half. I'm going to marry my soulmate. I post it and smile as I do. I want the world to know that Willow is going to be my wife.

After we take a few pictures, blow out the candles and collect all the books we go back to our hotel room so that we can celebrate the night. We had to turn our phones off because in the 30 minutes it took us to get to the hotel after cleaning things up we had gotten numerous notifications, many texts messages. We just want to be alone and spend the night together to celebrate. I'm standing in the bedroom pouring us each a glass of champagne while Willow is in the bathroom getting changed. I already stripped out of my suit and was relaxing in a pair of sweatpants with my hair wrapped up in a bun. I hear the bathroom door open and turn to look at Willow to hand her champagne to her. She takes my breath away as she walks out of the bathroom with her waist length hair flowing loose dressed in a black lace bra and matching black lace panties. She walks to the bed with a sexual grace. I smile as she climbs into bed. "You look breathtakingly beautiful," I say with a soft smile as I put our champagne down on the nightstand knowing that we aren't drinking it. I know the look in her eyes. She's hungry for me and she wants me. She crawls toward me before she straddles over me. I feel myself hardening in my sweatpants as she takes my mouth, kissing me soft, slow and deep. Her soft licks and soft sucking of my tongue weakens me. I stroke the length of her spine as she kisses me. Her breasts against my chest, I let out a soft moan of protest as she parts our lips, her lips gliding over my neck, kissing and nibbling it softly. Her kisses and soft nibbles travel across my collarbone and down my chest. My erection growing thicker, fuller as she takes her time kissing me down my body, her lips are soft against my hot skin. Her kisses trail lower down my body as she reaches the top of my waist band. I groan as she slides her hand inside my sweatpants taking my erection into her hand stroking it softly.

"You're so hard and thick," she purrs. "I love that I can do this to you," she says. "I love that I can make you so hard and thick."

"You bring me to my knees, Baby Girl," I breathe as she strokes me softly. "This is yours forever, I'm yours forever," I breathe as her soft strokes quicken, her hand wrapped around my dick so tightly as she slides it up and down the length of my erection. Pre-cum spurts out from the tip and she smiles as she pulls my waistband away freeing my throbbing dick. She makes eye contact with me as she licks the tip of my penis, licking the pre-cum away before she wraps her lips around the tip, keeping her eyes on me as she sucks softly. I moan out in pleasure as she sucks me softly with her mouth, her tongue sliding over the tip and her hand stroking me softly. She takes more of me into her mouth, the heat of her mouth nearly makes me cum as she wraps her lips around the length of my erection, taking more of me as her tongue licks the rigid veins of my dick, her sucking soft as she makes love to me with her mouth, taking me as deep and as far as she can take me. She picks up the pace, making love to my dick with her mouth with a fierce passion. I can't take it, the heat of her mouth, the tightness of her lips and the skill of her tongue rip through me and I feel myself thicken, growing fuller in her mouth. As I'm getting ready to cum she removes me from her mouth.

"Not yet," she says. "Not yet, Baby, I want you to save it."

"You're killing me, Willow," I say softly at her mercy, my dick throbbing, ready to explode. "Please let me," I say.

"Control it, Baby," she says softly as she removes herself from the bed. "The next time you cum will be inside of me," she says making me ache more as she starts to strip out of her bra and panties. Her breasts perfect and plump, her naked body perfect in my eyes, her nipples harden as she makes her way back into the bed. She straddles me gently taking my aching dick into her hand. She teases me rubbing my dick over her sex, rubbing it against her clit, taking it over the entrance of her sex and stroking herself with it, driving me wild. I am scared that once she takes me I'm going to go, I'm going to explode. My hands are on her breasts, massaging them, kneading them. I make her gasp as I take one hard nipple into my mouth while kneading the other breast. She continues to tease me as I tend to her breasts. "I'm going to take you now, Baby," she says, "don't cum," she warns.

She positions me at the entrance of her sex. She lowers herself onto my dick and I try hard not to explode as she covers my dick with the scorching heat of her sex, filling herself with me, taking me as deeply as possible. I nip her nipple as she is filled with my dick. She places her hands on my shoulders to balance herself. She begins to ride my dick once she's steady. She takes me hard and fast, her tits bouncing up and down as she rides. I place my hands on her thighs as she moves. The groans and moans of pleasure fill the room as her tight sex swallows my dick, taking all of me, taking me as deep as I can go. I close my eyes as she continues riding, trying not to explode. I know that if she goes I'm going to go with her. She picks up the pace, her sex becoming hotter, growing greedy as it tightens around my dick. She cries out as she reaches her climax, covering my dick with her hot juices, her sweet release, my erection almost painful, thick, throbbing as I want to cum, I want to fill her with my seed. She finishes her powerful orgasm before she rolls over onto her back, pulling me on top of her, never separating us. I take over, thrusting into her deep and hard as her nails are in my back, tearing and scratching me as I bring her to another orgasm. It's too much, I can't take it anymore, it's unbearable. The passion tearing through me, ripping through me, my dick throbbing and aching with one last thrust I come apart, exploding deep inside of her, filling her with my hot seed, the most powerful release I have had in a while, I fill her sex with my semen, my seed filling her. I feel the heat of my semen between her thighs. I take her mouth, kissing her hard and deep as I finish my release. I collapse my body on top of hers as I fill her with the last of my release. "Wow," I murmur in her ear.

"Wow is right," she says catching her breath, "I hope we continue to have hot sex like that well into our marriage,"

"We'll always satisfy each other," I say with a smile as I feel myself hardening again. "I love you, Willow."

"I love you too, Joe, forever," she says before I take her mouth soft and sweet as I start to make love to her again with more passion than I ever had. We celebrate our engagement well into the early morning hours bringing each other orgasm after orgasm. This is what I want the rest of my life; not the sex but the desire, the passion, the love. I want Willow.

 ***A/N: What do you think of their trip to England? Did Roman give her a great trip? Do you think Willow is going to try to rush back to get in the ring or listen to Roman? Do you understand why she misses him so much? What did you think of Roman's proposal? What did you think of how he did it? Was it the perfect place to propose to her? What about Willow's reaction? Are you happy they announced it to the world? What did you think of their celebration after their engagement? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	36. Chapter 36

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

I was sitting in the doctor's office waiting for the man that performed my knee surgery and reattached my tears. I have been extremely grateful he did the best he could with my surgery and fixing up my knee. I had come in to have some MRI's done on my knee and to get some x-rays done to see how my knee is healing up and when I can get back into the ring. Today hasn't been off to the best start. I'm just hoping for some good news and hope to get back to the ring sooner than they thought. I want to be back in time for Mania but it all depends on the word of the doctor. "Good afternoon, Willow," says the doctor as he walks into his office holding the folder with my MRI results and my x-rays. "How are you this afternoon?"

"I'm okay," I say. "I'm nervous."

"What are you nervous about, Willow?" he asks taking a seat at his chair.

"That you're going to tell me I need to wait longer to get back in the ring. I want to get back in the ring as soon as you'll allow me."

"I see," he says looking at me with his dark eyes. "How is physical therapy coming along?"

"Very well, I'm working harder each session and I'm getting stronger. It doesn't hurt nearly as much as it used to and I'm not going home to soak my knee in a nice warm bath when I'm done. I would say I'm doing well with it."

"That's good to hear," he says with a soft smile. "I assume you're working very hard to get back into the ring?"

"Harder than I ever thought I would. Wrestling is my life," I say, "when I'm in the ring I feel at home. It's where I have always wanted to be. I gave up a lot to make it where I am."

"You have a lot of heart like your father," he says making me smile. "Your dad has a big heart for the business. When I performed a couple of his surgeries he said similar things to me."

"My dad spent 25 years working for this business and even years before that. He loves it with every breath in him. He has given up so much and sacrificed a lot for this business. He loves it as much as I do."

"I can see the passion," he says with a smile as he posts my results on the screen. He shows the results before surgery and right after surgery then next to them he posts the ones from today. "As you can see here," he says, "this is what your knee looked like before you had surgery and this is what it looked like just following surgery and here we have what it looks like today."

"I think it looks a lot better now than it did a few months ago."

"Significantly so," he says. "It looks like it's healing ahead of schedule and everything is looking good with it. I would say that we are going to move up your return time. We were looking at April for your return but I think you should be good to return in late February early March," he says.

"Really?" I ask with a smile. "You think my knee will be good to go next month?"

"I think so," he says with a smile. "There has been a large improvement in the condition of your knee. It looks good," he says.

"I'm glad to hear that," I say with a smile. "This makes me happy. I wanted to be back in time for Wrestlemania now I'll be back in time for it and hopefully be able to get my championship back."

"Yes, Willow, everything looks great with your knee. It's healing very nicely and ahead of schedule, a whole month ahead."

"That's good news," I say with a smile. I can't help but feel relief. Going back to the ring a month earlier than planned is a blessing. I can't wait to get back into the ring. I have been working out again with Joe and doing my physical therapy. I can't wait to get back into the ring and do the thing I love the most next to Joe. I continue talking to the doctor a little while longer before he gives me my paperwork to give to the WWE doctors to show them that in a month or so I will be cleared to return back to action.

After I have my appointment I meet Michelle and Kaia at Mexican restaurant for lunch. "Hey," I say greeting Michelle with a hug and then giving Kaia a hug.

"Hi, Willow," says Kaia with a smile.

"Hey, Willow," says Michelle as we take a seat. "How are you?"

"I'm all right," I say, "I had my appointment with the doctor today."

"Oh really, how did that go?" she asks as the waiter comes to take our drink orders.

"It went well. I'm going to be returning back to the ring a month earlier than they had first thought which is good. I'll be back in time for Mania. I was so scared I was going to miss my first Mania. I would have been devastated."

"I'm sure you would be. Are you feeling all right?" she asks me. "You look like you're not feeling well."

"I'm tired," I say, "really tired and I just feel off. I'm supposed to get my period in a couple days so I think that's it plus I think it's coming back from England that has me thrown off. I don't know. I just feel sick but not really sick."

"Like nauseous?" she asks.

"I wouldn't call it nauseous more like just sick. I feel off and my stomach isn't the greatest," I say. "It could all be period related."

"I get like that sometimes too," she says as the waiter brings our drinks. "You feel up to eating, you don't have to eat if you don't feel up to it."

"I probably should eat but I don't know if my stomach is ready for it. I think I'm going to skip eating. I hope I'm not getting some bug or anything. I know Alani was sick with one last week. I hope I'm not catching what she had."

"How long ago was it since you went to England?"

"Two weeks ago," I say with a smile as she gives the waiter their orders. I order a small order of nachos and cheese hoping my stomach can handle it.

"I see," she says with a soft smile. "Did you enjoy yourself? I haven't had much time to talk to you since you came back?"

"It was the best trip I have ever taken," I say with a smile. "I had a great time. Joe made it so special for me. I felt bad because we did everything I wanted to do nothing really that he would want to do or be interested in. He took me to see the Bronte Sisters home museum that was one of the coolest parts of the trip. The best part though was when he proposed to me and asked me to be his wife. As far as proposals go it was the most beautiful one I had ever seen. It was definitely unique. It was the best night of my life."

"How did he do it?" she asks.

"It was beautiful. We went out to eat and then after dinner we wanted to walk back to our hotel. On the way back to the hotel we visited the bridge in Pride and Prejudice. On the way to the bridge he had a trail of books lit by candlelight. We get to the bridge and all my favorite books are in the shape of a heart. He gave me a copy of Wuthering Heights. He had a card with a quote on it from the book and inside the book it was hallowed out with the ring. I looked at him and he was on his knee asking me to be his wife. It was beautiful," I say with tears in my eyes thinking about it.

"That sounds wonderful. I give him romantic props."

"And he's not even a romantic guy so he says but that proved to me otherwise," I say with a smile.

"Let me see the ring," she says. I show her the sapphire and diamond ring on my left ring finger as it glitters in the sunlight. "Wow, that's a beautiful ring."

"I love it," I say, "but to me it's not about the ring it's more about the man I love giving me his heart and soul the rest of our lives and giving me his life. I want to share the rest of my life with him and have kids with him someday."

"Did you two decide on a wedding date yet? Or how long your engagement will be?"

"We haven't really set a date but we do plan to get married by January 2017. I'm leaning toward either New Year's Eve or New Year's Day."

"That sounds like a good day to get married," she says with a smile. "If you need any help planning things out I'm here to help you. I know your mama and you don't have that great of a relationship and I know it's a mother and daughter type of thing but if you need me I'm here to help."

I smile at her. "Thanks, Michelle, that means a lot. I'm sure I'm going to need all the help I can get. I never planned a wedding before."

"It can be a lot of fun just don't get too stressed out about things. Weddings are fun. You have to get engagement pictures, invitations, pick out special china, you have to decide on a menu, flower arrangements, pick wedding colors and wedding venues. You have to pick out a song."

"Okay, you have me completely exhausted," I say with a smile. "That's a lot of work." The waiter interrupts to bring us our food. As soon as Michelle's burrito and Kaia's taco arrive the smell of the spicy goodness that I once enjoyed makes my stomach turn.

"You okay?" she asks.

"I'm all right," I say, "just got a little sick."

"You sure there's nothing you want to tell me or your dad?"

"Like what?" I ask.

"Nothing," she says. "And yes planning a wedding is a lot of work but it is worth it in the end."

"I don't know how Joe and I are going to have time to do all that and be on the road as much as we are."

"It will all work out," she says with a smile, "trust me."

"I hope so," I say before I dip one of my nachos in cheese before taking a bite.

"Is it going to be a big wedding or a small wedding?"

"Anything where the paparazzi won't be, it's going to be private."

"I don't blame you. How have things been since you two announced your engagement?"

"The same as it has been since we came out about dating. Joe has his fan girls that are always going to hate me and feel like I took him from them. If I hadn't been raised around the business and seen all the craziness that my dad has gone through I would never be strong enough to handle it. Fan girls are crazy though."

"Some of them."

"True some of them. I think I would rather have the haters than the ones so obsessed they try every opportunity to find Joe and me out to eat or on a date to take pictures of us and post them on the internet. I don't know how dad kept the fans away from us as well as he did. No matter how discreet we try to be someone always finds us."

"Times were different back then," she says. "Back then while you were growing up you didn't have social media and the internet wasn't such a big deal. Now everyone is the paparazzi. Everyone has cameras on their phones. Nowhere is really safe for you to go."

"But how do you keep Kai out of the public eye? How do you manage that?"

"Your dad and I can only control so much of what gets out. We do our best to remain as private as possible but there are people out there who don't understand boundaries. They don't care about privacy. We do our best but if a picture or two gets out of Kai there is nothing we can do about it but we will continue to give her the most normal life possible. You can only do so much, Willow."

"I know and we do the best we can. We try to shield Alani from the public but it doesn't help when Joe does commercials with her and network specials with her. People want more they always do. When we have kids I don't want them in the public eye at all. I'm not even posting pictures of them faces or not. I want our children to grow up outside of the public eye. They deserve a normal life."

"I agree," she says, "are you going to have Joe sign a prenup?"

"I'm thinking about it," I say, "but I trust him. I don't think we're getting divorced."

"You never know," she says, "it might happen."

"Hopefully it doesn't and if it does I don't think Joe would be so cold to take half of what I have before we are married."

"You know your dad is going to tell you to get a prenup."

"I know," I say.

"You have a lot of money."

"Money I don't use," I correct her, "but yes I do have a lot of money off in a bank account. I just don't think it's right to begin a marriage off with a prenup. If I lose Joe I lose everything anyway so what does it matter if there is a prenup or not?"

"It's your decision," she says.

"Of course it is. I'll talk to Joe about it and see how he feels but I feel if I am marrying him, we're going to be together forever. I don't think there is any need for a prenup."

"Your father is going to want you to be protected."

"Dad can't always make my decisions," I say, "I will talk it over with Joe and see what he wants to do. My money is his money and vice versa."

"Okay, Willow," she says. "It's your choice, you're 25 years old."

"Yes I am," I say as we go back to eating our lunch but I'm not really enjoying it because my stomach just can't handle the smells or the tastes of the food.

As soon as I was done having lunch with Michelle and Kaia I skipped out on going shopping with them because I was tired and still feeling off. I also wasn't feeling the best from lunch so I went home and took a cool shower before laying down to take a nap. I wake up a couple hours later by the feel of Joe climbing into bed next to me. His warm body instantly warms me up as I feel his lips on my neck. "What's the matter, Baby Girl?" he asks wrapping his arms around me holding me close to him.

I turn to face him and kiss his lips softly. "You're home."

"I am," he says with a soft smile. "Did you miss me?"

"Yes," I say.

"I'm glad to be home. What's wrong?"

"I'm just feeling off," I say.

"What do you mean by off?"

"My body it just feels off. I think I'm getting what Alani had last week. I went to lunch with Michelle today and I couldn't eat or stand the smell. I just got sick. And I am just so tired," I say. "I just want to sleep."

"Maybe you are getting sick," he says holding me tighter in his arms.

"That or it's my period. I just want to sleep. I'm sorry, Baby."

"Don't be sorry, Baby Girl. If you want to sleep go ahead and sleep. I'll go do some work around the house. Can I get you anything?"

"No, I'm all right," I say. "Thank-you, Baby."

"You're welcome and I'm home for the next few days so Dr. Joe Anoa'i is in the house," he says making me smile.

"It sounds like a dirty porn movie," I say giving him a wink.

"Baby Girl if you want to make a porno all you have to do is say the word. After England I know you're game for anything."

"Shut up," I say pushing his shoulder. "I can't even think about sex right now. I just want to sleep."

"All right, Baby Girl, I'll let you get some rest."

"Can you hold me?"

"Of course," he says as he kisses the top of my head. "I'll do whatever you ask me to do."

"Thank-you," I say cuddling up to him. I close my eyes and take in his scent as he holds me and fall asleep listening to the sound of his heart beating.

 ***A/N: What do you think of Willow being able to return back to the ring a month earlier than planned? Do you see the passion she has for the business? What did you think of her lunch with Michelle? Do you think Michelle was pushing the prenup on her? What do you think she will do, prenup or not? What did you think of Michelle offering to help her with the wedding? What did you think of JOe coming home and offering to take care of Willow because she's feeling off? Do you think she's getting sick? Please review and thank-you fo reading.**


	37. Chapter 37

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. THey were greatly appreciated thank-you all so much***

"So what's on the agenda today?" asks Joe as he stands in the doorway of the bathroom as I'm splashing water on my face before brushing my teeth after I finish throwing up my breakfast he made me.

"I'm going to the doctor's," I say as I look at him. "I have my annual gynecologist appointment today."

"You need to go to a regular doctor," he says crossing his arms. "When are you going to get checked out? You've been sick for almost a week now."

"I'm pretty sure it's nothing," I say.

"When you're sleeping 14 hours at night, not able to keep anything down and constantly feeling sick I can't help but to worry about you. You need to see the doctor."

"If I'm still sick in a couple days I'll make an appointment. It's probably just that bug working its way through my system."

"Let's hope so," he says as he comes to me. He stands behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. "I just love you too much. I want you to be healthy and take care of yourself."

"I will I promise," I say, "so you're going to India this week?" I ask turning to face him wrapping my arms around his neck.

"For a few days," he says with a nod. "And I won't be back until The Royal Rumble weekend."

"That's how long I have to be without you?" I ask him looking into his blue-grey eyes. "I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too but I have a lot of publicity to do. I wish I could come home sooner." He rubs my spine.

"So what made Vince change his mind about The Royal Rumble? Why now do you have to face 29 other competitors to get your championship back?"

"They set it in place to fire me and have me off until The Royal Rumble but when John got injured along with Seth, Randy and Daniel Bryan Vince had no choice but to revise and revisit the storyline. I was going to enjoy my time home with you and Alani but things change."

"I know," I say with a soft smile. "I hope you win at The Rumble."

"I probably won't but thanks for the hope," he says before he kisses my nose softly. "Do you want me to go to your appointment with you?" he asks.

"You want to go to a gynecologist appointment with me?" I ask. "Would you even feel comfortable sitting there with me?"

"I just want to be with you," he says.

"We can be together this evening. We'll have a date night, we'll have some wine, a nice dinner watch some movies and spend a few hours making love," I say giving him a soft smile. "You know a normal night before everything gets hectic again in our lives."

"Sounds good to me," he says, "but I really wouldn't mind going to the appointment with you."

"You may not mind it," I say rubbing his shoulders, "but I mind it. The doctor is going to be looking at me down there."

"Don't act like I haven't seen it before," he says.

"I know that you have but you don't need to be at the appointment. It's just an annual checkup I promise everything will be fine."

"All right," he says before he goes to kiss my mouth.

"I have puke breath," I say with a smile.

"I don't care," he says before he takes my mouth and kisses me deep. "Nothing could keep me away," he says against my lips.

"I wouldn't want it to," I say with a soft smile before I kiss him again.

I arrived at my appointment with my gynecologist a couple hours later while Joe stayed at home to get in a workout at my dad's built in gym at his home. I was so happy to see how well Joe and my dad were getting along now. Everything was off to a rocky start between the two of them but they were slowly bonding over wrestling of course and a few other things they had in common. I loved to see my fiancée and my father getting along they were my two favorite men in this entire world. I needed them to get along it meant so much to me. I sit in the waiting room looking through one of the latest gossip magazines reading about marriages, divorces and couples having babies. It makes me happy that Joe and I aren't that famous to be in tabloids but nonetheless we were still famous among wrestling fans and people out there were dying to know about our wedding and know everything about us. I love my fans but I enjoy my privacy and my life off the camera. I enjoyed my life with Joe and Alani as well as my father. Word of mine and Joe's engagement had gotten around. Everyone was trying to add me on social media, fan girls were jealous that Joe was off the market and took it out on me. It was just something I didn't want to deal with normally it wouldn't bother me as much but the last week or so I have been extra emotional, crying all the time at the simplest things. I blamed that on my missed period and a hormonal imbalance. It wasn't unusual with my birth control for me to skip a period or to experience a hormonal imbalance but it has been at least a year since I missed a period all of them coming regularly like clockwork but it happens every once and a while.

"Willow Calaway," says the nurse snapping me out of my thought. I put the magazine down and make my way to her. "Hello, Willow how are you today?"

"I'm well," I say with a smile as she closes the door behind us. She leads me down the hall to the examination room. She gives me a gown to change into after she asks me a few questions about my period and asks me a few more questions about my femininity. She lets me know the doctor will be in shortly and gives me time to change into my gown.

A few minutes later there is a knock on the door and the doctor enters after I tell her to come in. "Hello, Willow," says Dr. Thomas with a smile on her face as she walks into the room with my chart. "How are you?"

"Good," I say with a smile. I have been seeing Dr. Thomas for a couple years now and I like her. She can't be too much older than me probably early 30's her deep blue eyes are always so bright when I see her and she's always smiling and her dark hair is always pulled up into a sock bun.

"I understand you missed your last menstrual cycle?" she asks.

"Yes," I say, "I'm only a few days late maybe it's coming later this month," I say.

"How often are you late or do you miss a period?"

"I'm usually pretty regular," I say, "I haven't missed a period or had it come late in over a year."

"Interesting," she says, "and you're still on birth control?"

"As far as I know, I had the Mirena put in almost a year ago. It should still be there."

"It should be and sometimes it can interrupt your periods but I still want to check to make sure it's still in."

"Okay," I say nervously knowing that if it's not still in that I haven't really been protected since it fell out. Joe and I have been intimate a lot.

I hold my breath as I lay back on the table putting my feet in the stirrups so she can make sure that it didn't fall out. I had heard stories of it being a possibility but I never thought it could actually happen. I winced as she checked. "Well," she says in a tone that makes my stomach turn. "Willow, it looks like your Mirena fell out?"

"WHAT? HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE? You have to be joking, please tell me you're joking," I say panic setting in.

"It is a rare occurrence but it is possible for it to fall out."

"But WHY?"

"I don't know how to answer that sometimes it just happens," she says, "when was your last period?"

"December 15," I say covering my face with my arm.

"Have you had unprotected sex since then?"

"Yes," I say gritting my teeth not believing a pregnancy could be a possibility. "Lots of it."

"Well," she says, "do you think we need to do a pregnancy test today?"

"Yes," I say my teeth gritting together. "I need a test."

"Okay," she says softly as she helps me sit up. "I'll get the nurse to come draw blood and it should only take a few minutes and we will have your results." Something on my face must have given away my anger and nervousness. "Don't worry everything has a way of working out. I promise," she says softly. "The nurse will be in shortly."

I fight the urge to text Joe and tell him to come to the doctor's with me because if I am pregnant I don't want to find out alone. I don't want a baby not now. It's too soon. I'm only 25 years old. I have my whole career in front of me. I'm supposed to be returning back to the ring in a month or so. I can't be pregnant. I don't want to be pregnant. I place my head in my hands not knowing if I should cry or scream. The nurse comes in and quickly draws my blood to have it tested. I let out a deep breath I was holding when she leaves the room. I sit and wait for the doctor to come in to tell me the results. I will admit Joe and I were selfish depending on my birth control and depending on it to work despite how often we had sex sometimes multiple times a day but never less than 3 times a week. We should have done more to protect ourselves. Throwing a baby into the mix could make things messy. I sat and prayed over and over again that the results were negative to the test but I knew when Dr. Thomas walked in what she was going to say. "I'm pregnant right?" I ask.

She gives me a nod and says, "Yes, Willow, you're pregnant. I would say probably about 5 weeks along. It's still early yet." The words were enough and reality set in. I broke down crying angry at myself, angry at Joe. I was angry at Dr. Thomas, I was angry that my birth control method failed me and everything I had worked my ass off for the last few years was gone at those two words. Dr. Thomas comforted me while I cried and when I was finally finished crying because I had no more tears and no more energy to do so she did a full examination and discussed my options with me. I knew there were no other options but to have the baby. I had so many emotions going through me I didn't even hear her tell me that she would be my OB for my pregnancy and tell me about prenatal vitamins. It was all too much. I made my appointment to have an ultrasound in three weeks and made an appointment for my first actual prenatal appointment before I headed to my dad's house. I had no idea how I was going to tell Joe the news or how he would react because I still hadn't finished my complete list of reactions to every emotion I was feeling.

I walk to my dad's front door in a daze, in shock, feeling numb. I don't even remember opening the door as I walk into his house. Kaia comes running up to me and gives me a hug. "Willow!" she yells as I scoop her up for a hug. "Roman is here. He's working out with daddy."

"I know," I say softly. I kiss her forehead. "How are you?"

"Good, do you want to play with me?"

"Maybe in a little bit," I say, "where's your mama?"

"In the kitchen," she says as I put her down. She takes my hand and pulls me to the kitchen. "We can play Barbie dolls do you want to play Barbie dolls or we can color."

"How about we color," I say, "but I have to talk to your mama first okay?" I ask as we walk into the kitchen.

"Willow," says Michelle as she looks up from what she's doing. "I didn't know you were coming over. Joe is down in the gym with your dad."

"I know," I say, "I have to talk to you about something."

"Okay," she says nervously. "You okay?" she asks and that was all she needed to ask before I broke down into tears. "Willow," she says as she wraps me up in her arms. "Kai, why don't you go play upstairs while I talk to Willow?"

"Okay, Mama," she says before she runs out of the kitchen leaving me crying on Michelle's shoulder.

"Talk to me, Willow," she says, "what's wrong?"

"I'm pregnant," I say softly through my sobs. "Joe and I are having a baby."

"Wow," she says with surprise in her voice. "I expected as much."

"You did?" I ask as we take a seat at the island in the kitchen. She hands me a tissue.

"Yes," she says, "the day we went out to lunch I knew. You had all the signs. I thought you knew and just didn't want to say anything."

"I had no idea. I was blindsided by it. I had no idea went to my annual appointment with Dr. Thomas today and found out my Mirena fell out and I'm pregnant."

"I'm sorry," she says.

"I don't know what I'm going to do. I have no idea what to do. I'm scared, Michelle. I'm not ready for a baby. I have my whole career in front of me. I'm not ready to give it up. I don't want to."

"I can imagine that this is scary for you but a baby is a blessing. I know this may not seem like a good time for a baby but there's a reason why you're having a baby right now. I know you want your career and just because you're a mom doesn't mean that you can't. You can still do your wrestling thing. Your dad and I will help you out with the baby. I know your dad doesn't know yet but I'm promising you if you want to go out on the road and wrestle continue on with your dream we will help however we can."

"That's the thing, Michelle, I don't want to leave my child behind. I don't want to be out being some type of rock star missing out on so much of its life. I don't like that. I thought Joe and I had a few more years before this happened. Now everything is screwed up and I don't want to have a baby. Whatever you do don't tell my dad. He will be so upset and so disappointed in me."

"You can't hide it forever, Willow, you're going to need to tell him. You're already showing signs."

"I am?"

"Yes," she says with a nod. "You're already having morning sickness I saw that when we went out for lunch and your chest increased in size. You are going to show sooner than you think. You can't hide it from your dad."

"I know," I say letting out a deep breath. "I wanted to make him proud."

"He will be proud of you no matter what," she says. "You are part of his entire world. He loves you no matter what you've done or what you're going through. You need to tell him."

"Well, I haven't even told Joe," I say. "Just give me some time to talk to Joe and decide what we are going to do, then give me some time to tell Dad."

"I will but don't wait too long, Willow."

"I won't," I say biting my lip. "I'm scared."

"It's okay to be scared and angry. It's okay to be sad but I can promise you that once you get used to the idea of carrying a little baby inside of you and you have that little baby and you see its face nothing else will matter. Your entire life will change for the better and your breath will be taken away. If you never felt love at first sight," she says, "you'll find out what it's like the moment you see your child, the child you created with the man you love. Everything will be all right, Willow, you just have to take it one day at a time. I promise," she says making me smile. "And you know I'm always here for you."

"Thank-you, Michelle," I say before I give her a hug.

"Willow," says Joe as he stands in the doorway of the kitchen in his workout gear a grey beater and a pair of black basketball shorts with his hair in a bun and dripping in sweat. "Are you okay?" he asks making his way into the kitchen. "Kai said you were crying."

I look at Michelle and she looks at me. "I think you two should talk," she says getting off the stool. "I'm going to go check on Kai."

"Okay," says Joe as he watches Michelle walk out of the room. I take his hand and guide him over to her empty seat. "Everything okay? Did something happen at your appointment? Are you sick?" he asks as I bite my bottom lip and tears forming in my eyes. The concern on his beautiful face tears me apart.

"Joe, we need to talk," I say as he squeezes my hand.

"Okay," he says. "Let's talk."

 ***A/N: What did you think of Willow's appointment? Were you surprised that she was pregnant? What did you think of her reaction? Is it understandable? What did you think of her going to Michelle before anyone else? What did you think of Michelle's reaction? How do you think Joe is going to take the news? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	38. Chapter 38

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. THey were greatly appreciated thank-you all so much***

"What's wrong?" I ask Willow as she sits me down on the stool next to her. "Everything okay? Why were you crying? Did something happen at your appointment?" The nervousness building up inside of me is tearing me apart. I automatically start thinking of the worst possible thing that could happen at her appointment. The C word pops into my mind first and it breaks my heart.

"Joe," she says with tears in her eyes as she links our fingers together and looks down at our joined hands. "I have to tell you something."

"I'm listening, what's wrong, Willow?"

"There isn't any easy way to tell you this because I'm still trying to process it and let it sink in."

"Willow, just tell me," I say growing impatient. "Is everything going to be okay?"

"I hope so but I don't know," she says looking up at me with her blue-green eyes. I reach up and wipe away a tear.

"Whatever it is we'll get through it together, nothing you could say would ever scare me away, what's wrong?"

"When the doctor was doing the pelvic exam she saw that my birth control fell out."

"Your birth control fell out? Is that possible?"

"Obviously it is possible because it happened."

"So you don't have your birth control in. We can use condoms until you get it put back in or until you find another method to use. It's not that serious, Willow. I have no problem using a condom if I have to. I know how much you don't want to have a baby and right now with me being the champion things are going to start getting hectic especially since I'm carrying the company while John is out it's not a good time to have a baby so I understand your concern," I say. "You can just get another method of birth control."

"That's the problem," she says, "I would have gotten my birth control put back in today but they had to do a pregnancy test before they would do it. You know to make sure I'm not pregnant or anything."

"Okay," I say, "and I'm sure you're not."

"Actually," she says. "I am pregnant surprise you're going to be a daddy again," she gives me a questioning look.

I am almost speechless at her news. I wanted more kids other than Alani but I thought that Willow and I had a couple more years before we actually got pregnant. I'm not upset just surprised. "You're pregnant?"

"Yes, the doctor said probably about 5 weeks along."

"Wow," I say. "You're pregnant."

"Yes, Joe, you and I are having a baby," she says impatiently. "You got me pregnant."

"Actually it was your failed birth control that got you pregnant. I had no idea it wasn't in."

"Neither did I," she says, "and now we're having a baby. What about my career? I have to give that up to be a mom."

"You don't have to give it up," I say.

"Oh so we're going to travel 300 days a year with a baby? I'm not doing the nanny thing, Joe. I don't want our baby to be raised by strangers."

"Willow, relax we have time to figure everything out. Are they sure you're pregnant?"

"They did a test, Joe. It was positive. You and me are having a baby in September."

"Well," I say, "this is unexpected. You're upset?"

"I'm not happy about it," she says, "but what am I going to do now?"

"We'll figure everything out. Everything is going to be okay," I say, "don't worry."

"Is it really going to be okay, Joe? I'm not ready to have a baby. We're not ready to have a baby. I want to be married first and then there's my career. I have to be out even longer now that I'm pregnant. It's pretty much over. I worked my whole life to be in the WWE and now I don't even have a future in the business that I have loved so much since I was a little girl. That's all I ever wanted to do. I thought we had a couple years before we got pregnant."

"Willow, I will do everything to make sure it turns out okay. I thought we had some time too but sometimes it happens unexpectedly. It's a shock I can imagine because I'm shocked but at the same time it's time that you and I both act like adults and deal with the consequences of our actions. It's not like we didn't know that a pregnancy was possible. We were selfish counting so heavily on your birth control. We have been having sex every day every week and most of the time multiple times a day this shouldn't be a surprise. It happens. You got pregnant it's time that you and I act like the adults that we are and own up to our responsibility. Whether we're ready or not, whether we have a career or not you're pregnant and that baby is our number one concern right now."

"Joe," she says, "that's easy for you to say because you don't have to give up your career. You can keep going out being the superstar you are. You can continue living your dream but I can't. You'll be out on the road 300 days a year and I'll be at home being a mom raising our child by myself. I am not ready to give up on my dream yet. I'm not ready, Joe," she says with tears filling her eyes. "I gave up so much to be where I am. Then I got injured I had to sit on the sideline for almost 6 months and when I finally get cleared to go back I'm sidelined again by an unexpected pregnancy. You know what it's like when you're off TV people forget about you. I'm not ready to give this life up yet. I'm not ready to give up on my dream. There's so much more I want to do with my life and in my life before I become a mom. I want kids but not now. I'm not ready now."

"Ready or not, Willow there's a baby growing inside of you. You're going to need to be sidelined for a bit. I'm not saying you need to walk away from the ring. You don't have to give up on your dream. You can still be everything you always wanted to be. You'll just have to revisit and revise how you handle your career. It wouldn't be hard to get a nanny or to take the baby on the road with us. I'm sure we will have plenty of people backstage that would be willing to keep an eye on the baby for us while we're getting ready. We could even have a nanny travel with us. The options are endless. You don't have to walk away because you became a mom. You can still be a mom and do both."

"What female wrestler has been a mom and a successful wrestler in WWE?"

"Terri Runnels, she and Goldust had their daughter and managed to be on the road still being able to live their dreams. Ashley Massaro," I say trying to encourage her. I don't want her to think that just because she's going to have a baby that her dream as a WWE diva is completely over because it's not. It's just the beginning of something wonderful. "You can do it, Willow. I know that you can."

"But I want to breastfeed and I want to have a part in my child's life. I don't want to be like my dad. He was away all the time. He missed out on so much of my life because of the ring. I don't know if I'm ready to sacrifice my job to raise a child."

"It doesn't matter if you're ready or not. What matters is what is going to happen and that's you are going to have a baby. Can't you be happy about it?"

"Are you happy about it?"

"I am happy about it. I'm happy that we're having a baby. Am I happy about the time of it not really? You can't stop what's meant to be from happening, Willow. There's going to be a lot of surprises in life but you can't stop life from happening. You can't stop this. I'm happy to be blessed with another child. I love Alani and I love being her dad. Just like I'm going to love our baby just as much, this is a baby you and I created together out of love. We may not have planned it but it is still a creation of our love. That should mean more to you than anything. You and I will have a little Willow and Roman running around. I would never ask you to give up your career to be a mom. I will never ask you to do that. I will support whatever you choose to do but there's no point in being upset over something that we have no control over. You'll see how much fun it is being a mom."

"This baby is going to change everything. I'm not going to have a career."

"Stop being selfish, Willow, it's not about you anymore. It's not about what you want anymore. It's about our baby. You're not number one anymore, Willow. What you want doesn't' matter."

"So I'm selfish now?"

"You're acting like a child about this. You and I made a choice to have sexual relations and a lot of them. Pregnancy has always been a possibility we just thought your birth control would prevent it but sometimes birth control fails and these things happen. I'm not saying I'm not scared because I am scared. This is different than it was with Alani. When Vanessa got pregnant with Alani I was just out of college, I didn't have a future. I didn't know what I was going to do. I always wanted to be a football player but that didn't work out. This time I'm a wrestler and I already hate the lack of time I get with Alani. I'm scared that I'm going to make you feel like a single parent. I don't like missing out on things either but during this time and age technology is helpful in those ways. I have missed cheerleading competitions, gymnastics shows. I miss a lot but Vanessa always skypes me in if she can or she videos it for me. I don't completely miss everything. I'm nervous about it too but being selfish about it is not the way to go. I was where you were before too. When Vanessa told me she was pregnant with Alani I was scared to death. I had no idea how to be a dad. I didn't think I was ready to be a dad. I wasn't ready to give up my 20's to raise a child. I wasn't ready for that life but as Vanessa started to grow, Alani got bigger and everything became more real I started to get excited. It's hard to take now but it will get easier. I promise, Willow."

"I'm scared, Joe," she says as I pull her off the stool into my arms. I wrap my arms around her as she wraps hers around my neck. "What are we going to do?" she cries. "I'm not ready."

"I know but we have a lot of time to get ready for it. Everything is going to be okay. I promise," I say as I comfort her. I kiss the top of her head as she cries on my shoulder. I know that she's scared. It's the same fear that I had when I found out about Alani. Finding out you're going to be a parent for the first time. You just see your entire world falling apart if you're not expecting it and you just see your entire future being wiped out but that's not the case. She just doesn't realize how great it feels to see your baby for the first time, hold them in your arms and know that you would do anything for something so little and the love you have for them is indescribable. "It's going to be okay, I promise," I say as she hugs me a little tighter.

"Promise?" she asks looking up at me with her blue-green eyes.

"I promise," I say with a smile.

"I trust you."

"We'll figure it all out we have some time but right now you need to take care of yourself and the baby," I say, "I just can't believe you're having a baby."

"We're having a baby," she corrected, "and we aren't telling my dad. The engagement was enough for him. I don't want him to know yet that we're having a baby."

"You're not going to be able to hide it long. It all makes sense now. The larger chest, the sickness and how tired you've been it all makes sense."

"Are my boobs really that much bigger?" she asks.

I look down at her breasts and say, "Yeah they're much bigger."

"Shut up," she says with a smile as she pushes my shoulders. "I go back in 3 weeks for an ultrasound we'll know more but she said we are due in September probably mid-September. I'm going to be so miserable that Tampa heat all summer long and almost 9 months pregnant. I can't even think about it."

I smile at her as I wrap my arms around her waist pulling her closer to me again, "you'll be all right. We'll be all right. I promise if I have to make the house an igloo I'll make it an igloo. I just want you to take care of yourself and the baby. Can you do that?"

"I guess," she says. "I love you, Joe."

"I love you too," I say with a smile before I capture her lips kissing her softly. "You better take care of my baby while I take care of you," I whisper against her lips.

"Okay," she says before she kisses me again wrapping her arms around my neck.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Willow telling Roman she's pregnant? Do you think he handled it well? Do you believe Willow is being selfish about the entire thing? Does she think it's all about her now? What did you think of Roman putting her in her place letting her know that it's not about her? And calling her selfish? Do you think they should tell her dad sooner than later? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	39. Chapter 39

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much.***

After throwing up in the bathroom I walk back into the kitchen to meet my best friend Renee. "How's pregnancy treating you?" she asks as I grab a bottle of water out of the fridge.

"I hate it," I say. "I hate it with a passion. I hate being pregnant."

"What's so bad about being pregnant?" she asks.

"I'm sick all the time, I can't keep anything down, my boobs hurt and I'm always tired. I just hate it. It's like there's this little parasite inside of me that is controlling everything I do. I have to feed it and make sure it's taken care of while it tears me apart on the inside. It's sucking the energy out of me and making me sick."

"So it's not treating you too well?" she asks as I take a drink of my water.

"No," I say. "I just hate being pregnant. I hope it gets better than this or we're going to have a long 40 weeks or now we're down to 34 weeks."

"I'm sure it does get better. Think about it soon you'll be able to see your little baby on an ultrasound and see its little heartbeat. You'll be able to feel it move inside of you. I don't think morning sickness lasts forever or lasts the entire pregnancy."

"According to the books it should only last 12 weeks so I'm half way there. I don't know why they call it morning sickness anyway. I'm sick no matter what time of day it is and I can't even talk about how much I use the bathroom. I feel disgusting is this the beginning of the end of my life?"

Renee lets out a small laugh and says, "I think most people look at pregnancy being the beginning of their life not so much the end of it. A baby is a blessing Willow. Consider yourself blessed."

"Blessed with morning sickness and sore boobs," I say before taking another swig of my water. "The only good thing that came out of this is that my boobs are bigger. Joe enjoys that perk but how can he enjoy it if I don't let him touch them because they are so tender?"

"I don't know," she says, "how is Joe handling the news?"

"He's excited. If he could put a crib up tomorrow he would. He's really excited about having another baby. I have never seen him so happy."

"And how are you taking it?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm not thrilled with it but it is what it is. What am I supposed to do now? Joe is excited. He's ready to have another child. I am sure maybe I will come around and enjoy this parasite inside of me but right now it's taking too much away from me. I can't really enjoy it."

"Stop calling it a parasite," she says, "I understand your feelings. You're used to being in control of your body now you have this little creature inside you that is in control. You have to make sure you eat healthy to make sure it's healthy, you need to take care of yourself to take care of it. I'm really excited for you and Joe. I think you're going to be a great mom. I know right now it seems like the end of the world but it really isn't Willow. Your world is just beginning."

"You know you just described a parasite. I'm not tearing it apart. It's what it is. It is a parasite. A parasite lives off of another human being depending on it to survive. A baby inside the womb is a parasite. Thanks for the excitement. I wish I could be more excited about it. I think I'm more scared than anything."

"What are you scared of? You already know Joe is a great dad and you will be a great mom."

"I don't know. I'm just not ready to be a mom. I wasn't planning on having a baby this soon in life. I thought I would be at least 30 before I had a baby but sure enough at 25 I'm going to be a mom. It's scary to think about it. My entire life is about to change."

"Yes, your life is going to change but it's not a bad change. You are going to be so in love with your baby that right now you're going to regret saying you don't want it and that you're scared. You're going to be an amazing mom and Joe is going to be an amazing dad. Your baby is going to be loved and spoiled."

"I suppose," I say.

"What are you going to do about wrestling though?"

"I don't know. I'm still thinking about it. I love wrestling and I hate to think about giving up on my dream but when you become a mom your baby comes first so I have to think about what's best for mine and Joe's baby. I know that I don't want a nanny. I want to raise my child myself. I'm just worried that if I stay on as a wrestler I'm going to lose precious moments with my baby and I don't want that. Joe understands it. We both grew up with fathers that were in the business. It's a grueling industry. It takes you away from home 300 plus days a year, you barely get any down time and when you do you don't have the energy to do anything. I don't want to miss my baby's first words or their first steps. I want to have a major part in its life no matter how I may feel now down the road I know I'm going to love it and I don't want to be on the road away from it. Joe suggested getting a nanny to travel with us but can you see me backstage with a baby, breastfeeding in a backstage area that's dominated by men? I don't know, Nay. I just don't know what I want to do yet. I have a few weeks to think about it. Steph and Hunter don't even know I'm pregnant yet neither does my dad."

"Your dad doesn't know?"

"No not yet. He's going to be so disappointed in me. "

"Why would he be disappointed in you? You're 25 years old, you're an adult. You make your own choices in life. You're going to be married soon so why would he be disappointed in you?"

"Because I destroyed everything I ever worked for and I promised him that I would wait to have kids till I had accomplished half the things in WWE that I wanted to accomplish and now I don't have a dream and I don't have anything left to accomplish because my entire career is over."

"It doesn't have to be over, Willow. You just think it's over. There are a lot of options out there for you. And I'm sure your dad isn't going to be disappointed in you. He may be disappointed that you haven't told him about the baby yet while your friends know."

"Michelle knows too," I say.

"And that will be what disappoints him. You shouldn't hide it from him too much longer. People are going to figure it out. People are going to know that you're pregnant and you want your dad to know before he reads about it on the internet like he did with your engagement. How did that go for you?"

"Not too well. He was pretty upset that I didn't call and tell him about it right away and they had to find out on the internet. I think it hurt him."

"I'm sure it did just like keeping your pregnancy from him can hurt him if he doesn't hear it from you. You need to tell him, Willow. You know you're keeping the baby and you're not going to be able to hide it much longer."

"I know that's what everyone keeps saying," I say letting out a sigh. "I will take him out to lunch sometime in the next couple weeks and tell him the news. If I can keep lunch down, I went out to lunch with Michelle and Kai before I had any idea I was pregnant and I got sick. Michelle said she knew."

"Maybe she did," she says with a smile. "Look I know you're going through a lot right now. I know this isn't easy but I want you to know that I'm here whenever you want to talk. I know you and Joe have two different feelings about this pregnancy. If you want to cry or vent I'm here for you."

"Thanks, Nay," I say.

"You're welcome, so did you and Joe pick out a wedding date yet?"

"New Year's Day 2017," I say with a smile. "It's what we decided on and something that we want."

"That sounds pretty cool," she says with a smile. "A New Year's wedding. That's going to be great."

"Yeah," I say with a smile. "I'm nervous about becoming a wife also. Everything is changing and going so fast. There was a time I didn't want to be married and a time I didn't want to have kids. Now I'm engaged to be married in less than a year and I'm going to have a baby in September. I never thought my life would happen this fast."

"It is all happening fast and I can see why you're scared. You went from not wanting any of this to having it all."

"I guess that's why I'm so worried about having a baby because it's happening so fast. It's scary but it doesn't mean I don't love my baby or my little parasite," I say with a smile as I place my hand on my stomach. "I'm just scared and hate being pregnant."

"It will get better I'm sure," she says with encouragement in her voice making me smile. I hope that it does get better because at this moment I'm not enjoying my pregnancy at all. I always thought being pregnant would be fun but it isn't as fun as I imagined it to be not with sore boobs and morning sickness.

 **ROMAN's POINT OF VIEW:**

"Hey Uce," says my cousin Jon as he joins me at a table in catering while we're in India. "Why do you look so sad?"

"I'm not sad," I say, "I'm just thinking," I say playing with the wrapper on my bottle water.

"About what, Uce, you look like your puppy died," he says placing his elbows on the table. "Everything okay with you and Willow?"

"For the most part," I say, "but she's pregnant."

"And you two weren't expecting it?"

"It was definitely a surprise for both of us. I guess something went wrong with her birth control and we ended up getting pregnant. It's not like it was impossible. The possibility was always there I just thought that we were protected but apparently we weren't."

"I see," he says. "So you're upset?"

"Not about the baby but the way Willow feels about it. She's not happy at all. She says that her dreams are destroyed and she's not ready to have a baby. I always thought that when we found out we were having a baby that she would be excited and she would be extremely happy. I thought we would be extremely happy together but right now I'm the only one happy about it. I mean I know it's not the best time to have a baby but at the same time it is God's plan for us. A baby is a blessing and she isn't happy at all. I feel in a way that I destroyed her dreams or had them taken away from her."

"It wasn't just you, Joe," he says, "you both had sex. You both took the risk and now you're both pregnant. You both need to realize that it's not about what the two of you want anymore it's about the baby and what's best for the baby."

"I know that. I told Willow that but she's not happy about the baby at all. She's upset to give up her career and I feel like I took that away from her. Do you know how bad I feel because I feel like it is my fault she can't live out her dream?"

"No one said that she couldn't live out her dream. Having a baby isn't going to stop her from living her dream. She's just going to need to work around it."

"She's not going to want to leave the baby behind and she can't raise a baby and be the Divas champion there's so much travel and work involved. She knows that and I feel like I robbed her of that."

"You didn't rob her of anything, Joe. You are both involved in this. You both got pregnant. She knew the consequences of having sex but chose to anyway don't put the blame on yourself. She needs to realize she's a part of this to and that she's just as responsible as you are. Don't blame yourself."

"I'm not trying to but it breaks my heart seeing her so unhappy. All I wanted to do in this life was make her happy and she's not happy at all. I just want her to be able to enjoy this and I feel bad because I'm so happy about it. I wanted to have a baby more than anything. I know it's not the best time but I can make it work. I want it to work but I feel bad that I'm excited about the baby."

"It's a shock to her, Joe. You said you both weren't expecting to get pregnant. Give her some time to let it sink in. I'm sure once it all sinks in she will be all right. Just give it some time."

"I'm trying to but it's so hard to see her so unhappy. I can't wait to have the baby and I can't wait to meet our baby. I know she will be a great mom. I just want her to be happy about it. I want her to enjoy it and it doesn't help that she's so sick all the time either."

"You two just need to work on it. Give her a couple more weeks, let it sink in and I'm sure she will be just as excited as you. Did you get an ultrasound yet?"

"Not yet we go in a couple weeks for one. She is due sometime in September," I say.

"A September baby that's nice. Congratulations!"

"Thanks, Uce," I say with a proud smile. "I'm happy about it. I am going to have a wife by next year and a baby. I love Willow so much. This is the life I wanted with her. I just hope that once she sees the baby on the ultrasound that it changes her mind and she starts to get excited. I hate that I'm not there to take care of her while she's sick."

"I know it's tough but I'm sure that the moment she sees the life you two created together will change her entire perspective on the pregnancy. Morning sickness is tough. All you can do is help her while you're home and take care of her."

"I'm going to spoil her," I say with a smile. "When I'm home she won't have to do anything. I can't believe I'm going to be a dad again! As much as I want a healthy baby I'm hoping for a boy."

"I'm glad to see you so excited about the baby. I'm happy for you and I know that Willow will come around. Just give her a little bit of time. This is a big change for her. You said before she wasn't into marriage or having kids. This is a big step from her. I can imagine how scared she is right now."

"I get that she's scared but I just want to enjoy this pregnancy together. We can't change what happened. We're having a baby. We can't stop life from happening this baby is a creation of our love for each other. I just want her to be excited and happy about that."

"She will, Joe, just give her some time to let this sink in," he says as he places his hand on my shoulder. "Just hang in there."

 ***A/N: What did you think of Willow's talk with Renee? What about Willow hating being pregnant? Why do you think she's so scared to have the baby? Do you think she will come around and start to get excited? Do you agree with her calling her baby a parasite? What about Joe talking to his cousin? Do you think he should feel bad about being happy about the baby? What about him blaming himself? Is it fair to him? What do you think of their opposite views on the baby? Do you think Willow will be happy about the baby too? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	40. Chapter 40

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated thank-you all so much***

"How have you been feeling, Willow?" asks the doctor as Joe and I are in the room waiting to get an ultrasound done to find out how far along I actually am and to give me an accurate due date.

"Emotional," I answer as I'm lying on the bed being prepared for the process. "My boobs hurt, I'm sick all the time and I'm an emotional mess."

"So pregnant?" he asks with a chuckle but I don't even smile. "Okay," he says, "morning sickness and tender breasts are normal at the beginning of your pregnancy. If the morning sickness is terribly bad we can prescribe some medicine to help ease the nausea but the good thing about morning sickness is that it usually subsides the 13th week of pregnancy when you hit the 2nd trimester. There are occasions where a woman experiences morning sickness throughout the entire pregnancy but that's a rare occurrence," he says.

"As rare as my birth control falling out?" I ask.

"Not as rare," he says.

"So you're telling me that in a rare instance that I could have morning sickness this entire pregnancy?"

"It's possible but I wouldn't expect it, Willow."

"And what about her mood swings and emotions?" asks Joe. "Can that be helped?"

"Shut up," I say giving him a look.

"Trouble in paradise?" asks the doctor.

"She's just all over the place with her emotions. I don't know what to say or do without fearing I'm going to upset her. If she's not yelling about something she's crying about something. She cries a lot and most of the time I don't even know why she's crying. Sometimes it's because the chicken isn't what she wanted or because I say the wrong thing. Either way she's always crying or angry about something. She's just not as happy as she used to be."

"Her hormones are all over the place, Joe. A lot of dads are concerned about the emotions that their wife or significant other display. Her hormones are imbalanced right now so she's going to have mood swings and she's going to have her moments. She's going to be a little bit emotional from time to time. I would like to say that this will ease up the further she gets into her pregnancy but she will always be dealing with a hormonal imbalance throughout the pregnancy which will trigger her moods. She will cry easily and get more upset easily. She's sensitive right now. I know it's like walking on egg shells but you need to be patient with her."

"And should I be concerned when she says she doesn't want to have this baby and calls it a parasite?"

"Is that true, Willow, you don't want to have this baby?"

"I didn't say I didn't want to have it. I just said I don't think it's a good time to be pregnant. I'm not ready to have a baby."

"And whether you're ready or not you're pregnant and we're having a baby," says Roman making me roll my eyes. "Stop being so selfish," he says.

"I'm not being selfish," I say, "can you just do the ultrasound already?" I ask.

"Yes, Willow," says the doctor as Joe reaches for my hand to hold but I pull it away. "I'm going to do an internal ultrasound. It will make it easier for me to see the baby and to get a better reading on its measurements. It will give me a better chance to determine an accurate due date. I'm not saying the date I give you will be the day you deliver but it will be close to the day that you deliver. It's more accurate than an estimated due date that you received at your first appointment. What date did they give you?"

"They said September 13th," I say.

"Okay," he says, "we'll see what is going on." He turns on the ultrasound machine and gets everything prepared for the ultrasound procedure. He holds the wand with what looks like a condom on it. "This will be a bit uncomfortable at first but I need you to relax." I nod at him as he inserts the wand inside of me. I wince at the discomfort as he inserts it further into me. I take Joe's hand and he interlocks our fingers together and kisses my forehead. I don't try to be mean with him but sometimes it happens that way. He does his best to spoil me when he's home and keep me comfortable. I owe him that. I'm just so miserable at the thought of being pregnant and having a baby. I'm not ready for this. I didn't ask to be pregnant. I didn't want to be pregnant. I always thought my birth control would protect me from that possibility but one mishap and here we are. "There it is," he says with a smile pointing to a small blob on the screen. It doesn't even look like a baby. It looks like a little alien.

"That's it?" I ask.

"That's your baby," says the doctor. "It looks good. It seems to be healthy. Do you see that little flicker right there?"

"Yes," I say.

"That's your baby's heartbeat," he says with a smile.

"There's our baby," says Joe with pride. I look up at him and see tears in his eyes. "Do you see it, Willow?"

"I see it but it doesn't really look like a baby. It looks like a little alien," I say as I look at the blob once again on the screen. "It's like a little blimp."

"I can't believe you and I created something so precious," he says. "And everything looks good?" he asks the doctor.

"Everything looks wonderful. It has a nice strong heartbeat and I would say that you are about 8 ½ weeks along," he says. "That would mean you're due on September 14th."

"Look at it, Willow," Joe's voice full of excitement and pride. "Isn't it beautiful? Life is so beautiful, the life created between two people that love one another is the most beautiful thing in this world," he says.

"I see it," I say but I don't have much feeling about it. I can't connect to it. I see a little alien or a little blimp nothing more. It has little arms, a little head and its legs are so little. It just looks like an alien to me. I can't believe I have something living inside of me and depending on me, something that Joe and I created together yet I feel nothing for it. Joe leans down and kisses my lips softly.

"I love you," he says softly.

"I love you too," I say.

"Would you two like me to put off some pictures?"

"Please," says Joe. His excitement and happiness breaks my heart. I wish I could be as happy and as proud as he is but I'm not.

 **LATER THAT EVENING:**

"You know what I think we should do," says Joe as we're sitting on the couch eating our dinner of Chinese food. "We should get both of our families together just immediate family like your dad, your brother and sisters then my mom and pops as well as my brother and sisters we could have a cookout or a family dinner to announce your pregnancy."

"I don't know," I say, "I don't want my dad to be upset and cause a scene in front of your family."

"I don't think your dad is going to be upset," he says, "you're 25 years old and you are getting married by next year. He has to know that the possibility of you becoming a mom is there. We're living together. It happens. I know we didn't plan this but it happens. There is nothing to really be upset about. It's an innocent baby."

"It is more like an alien to me and I think that you and I should sit down to talk to my dad and tell him the news alone. I don't want to make a big deal about this pregnancy. I don't' want to have a big dinner or cookout to announce that we're having a baby. I just want to tell them subtly. I don't even want to announce this on social media. That's the last thing I want to do."

"I agree no social media and I don't want it reported to any wrestling websites. I want it to be a private matter between our families."

"I know I can't hide it forever and my fans are going to get suspicious but I don't even know if I'm going to go back to the ring. Everything is going to change. I just don't want to make a big deal about it you know?"

"Have you thought of any names for it?" he asks. "And I understand your need for privacy. The fans will always speculate. They don't have to know the truth and I'm not going to allow you to give up on your dream."

"It's too late. My dream is over now," I say. "You can sit there and say that you won't let me give up on my dream but I'm pregnant Joe. I had an injury that put me out 6 months and now I have a parasite living inside me that's keeping me out at least 11 months. That's 17 months total. No one is going to remember me. You know that when you're off TV people forget about you and I'm going to get fat. I know I'm not going to lose my baby weight in 6-8 weeks after it's born so there is more time off. You know WWE doesn't like meat on their divas not even a little bit. I have to get back into shape before I even get back on TV. By that time I will be off TV for 2 years and completely forgotten about. It's over, Joe. The day you got me pregnant is the day that my career was over."

"The day I got you pregnant?" he asks. "It takes two people to have sex and make love, Willow. It wasn't just me. How was I supposed to know your birth control fell out better yet how did you not know it fell out? Why can't you just be excited about this? Stop worrying about your career for one second and worry about the life we created growing inside of you. I want you to stop being selfish about it stop worrying about you and what you want in your life."

"I didn't ask to be pregnant. I don't want to be pregnant. I don't even want to have this baby."

"I didn't ask to get you pregnant either, I didn't ask for your birth control to fall out but you know what I know things happen. I know that life happens and we can't control it. I think it's incredibly selfish and immature for you to sit there and say you don't want to have this baby. That is a life that you and I created together whether we planned to or not. It happened. We're having a baby stop being selfish about it. So what you have to sit out a couple years it doesn't mean that your career is over and you're not getting fat you're carrying life; a life that you and I created together. Whether you want to be or not you're going to be a mom and I'm going to be a father again. You can't spend the rest of our child's life resenting it. Get over it, Willow. You knew the possibility of having sex. You knew that you could get pregnant birth control or not. I'm so tired of you acting like a child about this. You're acting like a spoiled little brat. I never thought you would be like this it is our child, Willow. Stop thinking about yourself and start thinking about our baby."

"So I'm selfish because I am upset that everything I worked for is over because I'm carrying your baby? Do you know how many barriers I had to break down to get to where I am? Do you know how much hard work and dedication I put into my career? I have every right to be a little pissed off so don't you dare call me selfish because I don't want give up on everything I worked for. You and I both know that I can't be a mom and be a diva in WWE. Rosa may be able to make it work and Stephanie may be an amazing mom and business woman but I'm not them. I'm an entirely different person. Selfishness to me is not giving up my job and having some stranger raise our child. Am I happy about being pregnant? No. I'm pissed at the idea. Do I want this baby? Not right now I don't but don't you dare call me selfish. Selfish would be putting myself in harm's way jeopardizing our child's life and you don't see me doing that."

"You're being selfish because you think this is all about you. I am scared to even be excited about this baby or being happy about it because you're so miserable about it. You're 25 years old, Willow. Life doesn't revolve around you anymore. It's about the baby. It is your job to take care of yourself and make sure everything is going well and if you call that baby a parasite one more time. It's not a parasite. It is a creation of life. It's a baby; our baby and it has a heartbeat. It's not a parasite."

"In every sense of the word it is a parasite," I say. "I don't know what you want me to do, Joe. I can't be happy about it. I try but I can't be happy about it. I don't feel anything for this baby. I can't be excited. I'm sorry I don't know what you want me to do."

"I want you to act like the adult you're supposed to be," he says. "Or maybe you're not the woman I thought you were. I never thought you would be this cold hearted."

"So now I'm cold hearted," I say as I put my food down. "Do you want me to leave because I can leave? Maybe we shouldn't get married at all. Maybe this entire thing was a mistake."

"You were always looking for a reason to get out of marrying me anyway," he says.

"That's not true, Joe. I love you and you know it. I'm happy to be getting married but if I'm not the woman you thought I was maybe getting married is a bad idea. Everything is happening so fast," I say. "This whole relationship has gone too fast we're dealing with stuff that people shouldn't deal with in less than a year. I went from not wanting to get married to being engaged and not wanting kids to being pregnant. It's a lot for me, Joe but I'm too selfish maybe you're the selfish one. It's not just about your feelings and how excited you are. You had your chance to live your dream, you had already had a child. Everything I'm dealing with is new and it's a lot. I'm not ready to be a mom. I can't help that I feel the way I do but don't you dare call me selfish when you can't even take my feelings into consideration," I say as I stand up.

"Someone has to look out for the baby," he says, "because you're not."

"Fuck you, Joe," I say shaking my head. "You act like I'm some kind of monster or something. I may not be excited or happy right now but I need to let it sink in. I have only dealt with this for 3 weeks. I need time to process everything. I'm sorry I'm not thinking of baby names or planning announcement parties. I'm sorry I can't be excited like you. I'm looking at the reality of the situation and if that makes me a selfish bitch so be it, Joe. It's too soon for you and I to have a baby. It's too soon."

"Maybe you and I are too soon. Maybe we're going too fast maybe we need to take a little break for now. Maybe we need to take the time to figure out if this is what we really want."

"I'm glad we finally agree on something. Maybe we do need a break," I say. "I think that's a great idea."

"Fine," says Joe.

"Fine," I say, "I'll go to my dad's." I say holding myself together. I want to break down into tears but I hold it together as I make my way upstairs to our bedroom. I pull out my suitcase from the closet and pack it up before I make my way downstairs. I don't even say a word to Joe before I walk out the front door and make my way to my car. Maybe a break is what Joe and I need to get past this animosity with each other. We are moving way too fast and so much has happened in less than a year. It's hard to deal with. I need time to think and clear my head. I need this time. We need this time.

 ***A/N: What did you think of the ultrasound appointment? Why do you think Willow can't connect to the baby or feeling anything to the baby? Do you think more lies within than just being upset about being pregnant? What do you think of Joe finally letting out his emotions to Willow? Should he have waited till a different time or was then perfect? Do you think they need to take a break from each other? Do you agree with Willow that everything is happening so fast? Does Willow have a point about her career being over? Do you think this break will be good for them? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	41. Chapter 41

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter they were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

"Scout," my dad says to me as he opens the door in the darkness of the night. "What are you doing here?" I drop my bags on the porch and embrace him. I feel his arms wrap around me as I break down into tears, crying and dampening his Mike Tyson shirt with my tears as he holds me. "Scout, what's wrong?" he asks but I can't answer him. I can't speak the only thing I can do is cry. He continues to hold me in the doorway as I cry on his shoulder, holding him, taking in his scent, the scent that used to calm me as a little girl. I pull myself together and pull away from him minutes later but it seems like hours later. "Scout," he says picking up my bags. "What happened?"

"Joe and I had a fight," my voice hoarse and filled with tears. "A bad fight," I choke out before we walk into the foyer of his home. He shuts the door behind me. "Can I stay here for a little bit?"

"A little bit?" he asks. "What does a little bit mean?"

"Dad, I can't talk about it. Not tonight. I promise I will talk to you in the morning. Right now I just want to sleep can I stay here?"

"Of course," he said with concern. "Are you well?"

"I'm just in need of some sleep we can talk about it in the morning," I say.

"Okay," he says, "you know where the guest room is. I will take your bags to the room and you can get settled in. You can talk to me whenever you're ready."

"Thank-you, Daddy," I say as I feel another burst of sadness and tears coming along with another round of morning sickness. My dad leads me up to the guest room and keeps giving me a look of concern over his shoulder. "I'm fine," I say holding back a sob.

We reach the top of the spiral staircase and round the corner walking through the loft to the guest room. He opens the door for me and leads me into the room. It's nicely decorated in a pastel blue with a walk in closet and a bathroom connected to it. The hardwood floor beneath my sneakers as I walk into the room after turning on the light, the moonlight shines in through the balcony door. "You can stay here as long as you need to," he reassures me. "I look forward to speaking to you in the morning. Tonight I just want you to make yourself comfortable and get some rest. You look like you need it," he says.

"Thanks, Daddy," I say softly as tears burn my green eyes.

"Goodnight, Scout," he says softly before he kisses the top of my head.

"Goodnight, Daddy," I say before he walks out of the guest room. He stops in the doorway and watches me for a minute. "I'll be fine, Daddy, I just need to get some sleep."

"Okay," he says softly before telling me goodnight once more before shutting the door.

I take a deep breath and step out of my sneakers placing them by the door. I make my way over to my suitcase and pull out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt to put on before I go to bed. I walk into the guest bathroom, the cold tiled floor beneath my feet makes me shiver as I walk to the sink. I turn the water on and splash some on my face as the tears continue to fall. My face is red and blotchy as I try to wash away my tears but they keep falling. I move over to the toilet after a wave of nausea takes over my body and vomit into the toilet crying as I do. As I finish I sit on the bathroom floor, hugging my knees and begin to sob. I sob for some time before I gather the strength to stand up and brush my teeth and clean myself up. I walk back into the guest room and over to the Queen sized bed in the room. I pull the covers back, place my cellphone on the nightstand and crawl into bed. I grab the pillow beside me, hug it tightly and break down into tears again, sobbing myself to sleep.

I stir awake as the sun shines in through the balcony window. I groan as I open my eyes. I feel as if I'm waking up with a bad hangover but since I'm pregnant I know I didn't drink the night before I just cried too much. I'm nauseous and my stomach turns as I finish stirring awake. I sit up and reach for my cellphone with the hope that Joe called me or sent me a text. Disappointment sets in as I see I have no missed calls and the only texts I received were from Renee and my brother. I put my phone down on the nightstand not ready to face the world after the night's events. I place my hand on my stomach and rub it softly. So much commotion for one little alien, I look at the clock and see it's a quarter till noon so I get out of bed and make my way downstairs. The smell of chocolate chip pancakes and bacon fill the stairwell as I make my way down to the kitchen.

"Good morning or afternoon, Scout," says my dad with a smile as he cooks my favorite breakfast. "I wasn't sure when you were going to wake up but I decided to start making you breakfast," he says as I take a seat at the island.

"Thanks, Daddy," I say with a soft smile but feeling numb after the night before. I don't want Joe and I to be over. That's the last thing I want but we both have two different looks on our future. Everything is happening way too fast for me, marriage, babies I just can't take it. I'm not ready for all of that. Marriage was one thing having a baby is another if that makes me selfish then I guess I'm selfish. "It smells good."

"How are you feeling today, Scout?"

"I'm okay," I say.

"You sure? You said you and Joe had a fight last night."

"We did, a bad fight I think we're taking a break right now."

"A break didn't you two just get engaged?"

"Yes," I say playing with my engagement ring. "We did but other events have come up that have put us at odds."

"Does it have anything to do with him not facing me at Mania like we had planned?"

"I think he's okay with that. I am sure it would have been a good match but with all the injuries lately I think he sees why creative scratched the idea. He didn't seem too upset about it. I mean it would have been great to see you two wrestle your final match together and watch you pass the torch to him but things change in WWE all the time and they want him to face Hunter for the championship. I get it and he gets it. Our problems stem from outside the ring and outside the business not inside of it."

"I see," he says as he puts two pancakes on a plate for me with some bacon before pouring me a glass of orange juice. "I would have loved to face him at Mania. Just let him know that was not my call or my decision."

"He knows," I say cutting into my pancakes after pouring syrup on them. "It really wasn't about that I promise, Dad."

"Okay," he says looking at me and letting out a sigh. "Would you like to induct me into the Hall of Fame?"

"What?" I ask as I take a bite of my pancakes. "You want me to induct you into the Hall of Fame?"

"Yes, you, Willow," he says with a smile. "Is that something you want to do?"

"Of course, it would be my honor," I say with pride. "I would love nothing more than to induct you into the Hall of Fame."

"I'm glad to hear it are you ready to talk about your fight with Joe? You two seemed to be so happy the last time I saw you two what happened?"

I take a deep breath and let it out. I can't hide it forever and he needs to know if I want him to give me any advice. "Well, you see after we got back from England and we were engaged a couple weeks later I wasn't feeling so good at all. I was terribly sick and didn't know what was going on. I went to my female doctor for my annual check-up and she discovered that my birth control fell out. She was going to put it back in but she had to do a pregnancy test first to make sure I wasn't pregnant. I was sure it would be negative but then I didn't know how long my birth control had been out so when she gave me the results of my test I am pregnant. Joe and I are having a baby in September."

"Wow," he says. "I don't know what to say, you're pregnant?"

"Yes almost 9 weeks," I answer.

"So I guess you're not going back to the ring in a month or so are you?"

"Not really," I say, "I won't be back in the ring for a long time if ever and that's where part of the problem comes in. I don't want to give up my career. Joe and I were careless. We depended solely on my birth control and depended on it to keep me from getting pregnant. I thought being on birth control wouldn't give me an unexpected pregnancy but sure enough here we are. I thought we had more time. I thought I had more time to live my dream but here we are."

"First, Scout, I just want to say there is no sure way to prevent a pregnancy birth control or not and the only way to prevent an unwanted pregnancy is by not having sex at all. I'm not happy with the thought of my daughter having sex but you're 25 years old. I know you're going to do what you want, you're living with Joe. I knew it was expected but this is news I didn't' expect to hear. I thought you two would be more careful with everything on the line."

"I thought we were careful enough. I thought my birth control would last me a couple years. I didn't know it was going to fall out on me and I would end up pregnant. Now everything I worked for is gone. I have no career. I'll be out for months now and even then I have to get my body back into shape which will take even more time. The fans will forget about me and so will creative. I put a lot into my career only for it to be ruined like this."

"Just because you're pregnant doesn't mean your career is over, Willow," he says taking a seat next to me as I push my plate away no longer hungry. "You have other options than just throwing it all away."

"That's what Joe said, he said we should get a nanny to take care of the baby while we're on the road. I don't want that. I don't want some stranger taking care of my baby. I never wanted kids before and I was warming up to the idea and now it's happening. I'm not ready for a baby. I have no idea how to be a mom and I'm not ready to give up wrestling but I'm not ready to sacrifice time with my child for it either."

"I see," he says. "Are you scared to be a mama or are you scared to walk away from your career?"

"I love my career, Dad, I really do. I mean I had the honor of being the divas champion already and that was great. It was cut short by injury but it was good. I would love to be a champion again and live out my dream but as a mama I don't want to sacrifice seeing my child every day or miss out on it taking its first steps or saying its first words. I want it to know that I'm its mama. I grew up with a mama that didn't give two shits about me, that treated me and Gunner like we were pawns in your divorce. She never truly cared about me and you were always on the road. I love that you did what you did but I don't want that life for me or the life for my child. I feel like I have to sacrifice everything while Roman doesn't. He can continue on with his career, be the big superstar they are primping him to be. He doesn't have to give time up. I don't want to do this alone, Dad. I don't want to be at home taking care of my child while its dad is out on the road. That's what happened with you and Mama. That's what happened with you and Sara. I watched you travel out on the road week in and week out barely being at home and they got tired of it. They didn't want to do it alone so it caused your marriage to crumble. I love Joe too much to lose my marriage with him because he's gone all the time. I always thought Joe and I would wait a couple years, get pregnant and we both walk away from the ring together so that we could be at home, be a family but I realize now I'm going to be alone in this. He will only be home a couple days out of the week unless he's out of the country. I don't want that for our child, Dad and I don't want to take a baby on the road with us. Everyone says Steph and Hunter manage to do it that's them. They also have nannies to take care of their children. I don't want that so I know giving up my career is what I need to do. I hate that I have to but I need to make this sacrifice."

"Well, you seem to have your mind made up on the whole giving up your career so what's the issue with you and Joe?"

"He thinks I'm being selfish but I think he's being selfish because he doesn't understand me. Like I said he can go on living his life and having his career while I get to sit home change diapers and breastfeed. I want him to be there with me. I want to do this together more than a couple days a week. I may have also said I don't want this baby."

"Is that true, Willow? Do you truly not want this baby?" he asks.

"I did say that but I don't think I meant it. I was just caught up in the heat of the moment. It's hard to accept the fact I am pregnant that Joe and I are having a little baby. I just don't feel attached to it. We had an ultrasound and I couldn't get excited about it. I felt nothing for it and I don't understand why. I don't hate it. I may not want it right now but I don't hate it. I want to love it and I want to be attached to it but I don't feel anything." I feel tears burning my eyes and a lump in my throat. "What if it hates me, Dad? What if it doesn't want me for a mama and what if I'm no good for it?"

"Why don't you want the baby, Willow? Is it because of your career or is it because you're scared?"

"I'm scared, Dad. I have no idea how to raise a baby or how to be a mom. What if I'm not enough for it? I do want it, Dad. I want it so much. I just want to be a good mom but I have no idea how to be a good mom. I don't know how to grow attached to it or feel anything for it. My fear is stopping me from feeling for it. I want to be a good mom and I don't want to do this alone, Dad. I don't want to feel like a single parent. I want to do this with Joe. I want the baby I'm just scared."

"I know that fear, Scout. I was there before. When your mama told me she was pregnant I didn't know what to do. I was scared to death. I wondered if I would ever be enough, would I be a good dad. Those thoughts were in my head for as long as I can remember. I just wanted to be enough. I just wanted to be a good dad and give you and your brother everything. IT's okay to be scared, Scout but don't let your fear keep you from enjoying the joy. So you and Joe are on a break over this?"

"He doesn't think I am he woman he thought I was because of my feelings toward the baby. I would never hurt the baby. I would never hurt him like that. He's so excited and it scares me. Facing it alone scares me. Taking care of a little life and being responsible for it scares me. You have to do everything just right. You have to be a good influence. They are watching you and they are depending on you it's really scary. I think I lost Joe because I'm scared of being a mom."

"I'm sure you haven't lost Joe. Do you want to be with him?"

"More than anything. I love him more than I have ever loved anyone. I knew he was the one. He's my soulmate. My soul has found its other half. When I'm with him I don't know how to describe it, it just feels perfect. I love him. I don't want to be away from him and if I think of another woman with him I lose my mind. I want him, I love him. He's everything to me, Dad. I feel horrible."

"I know he loves you, Scout. He's not going anywhere. You two need to talk this out. You need to tell him that you're scared. Let him know. Talk through it, you will never be in this alone. I will tell you I can guarantee that Roman is experiencing the same feelings in a way. I was on the road most of your life and most of your sisters' lives. It was tough on me being away. I wanted to be home with you more than you'll ever know. I wanted to go to soccer games, I wanted to go to gymnastics meets and softball games. I would have given up anything to be there but I was out making a living for us so that we could survive so that you could do those things, have the education you deserve. It is just as hard for us being out on the road. I know you don't want to do this alone and you never will. Joe will always be there for you and I know he's going to do his best to be there as much as he can. You have nothing to be afraid of and I'm here to help you when you have the baby. It's okay. I will have some extra time to be home with you and the baby. If you feel like you need help or need a break I'm here. I think you will be a great mom. You're great with your sisters and I already know Joe is a good dad. You two will be okay. It's okay to be scared but you really don't have to be everything will be all right. You can't fear the unknown because then you won't be able to enjoy it. Having a baby is a blessing, Scout. Right now you're scared but I promise you the moment you have that baby and you hold it in your arms for the first time you will fall in love and nothing else in life will matter again. Having a baby and becoming a parent is one of the best blessings God can give you. Enjoy it," he says, "it will be okay."

I give him a smile and hug him. "Thank-you, Daddy. I love you!"

"I love you too, Scout," he says before he kisses the top of my head and then hands my plate back to me. "If you're going to be having a baby you need to make sure you eat. You want to keep it healthy."

"I know," I say with a smile before I dig into my pancakes. After talking to my dad everything makes much more sense. I feel so much better about having a baby but still scared of what the future holds.

 ***A/N: What do you think of WWE changing the match with Joe and Taker in the story? What are your thoughts on Willow inducting her father into the Hall of Fame? Do you think Willow is starting to accept the fact she's pregnant? What did you think of everything she said to her father about being scared? Do you believe that's true? Should she be scared? Do you think her and joe will be able to work this out or will he still find her selfish? What do you think of Taker's support for Willow? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	42. Chapter 42

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

"It's like I barely even know her anymore," I say to my best friend Dean. "It's like she's a completely different person than she was when I first met her. For someone that is such a good mother figure to Alani and someone that once wanted to be a teacher I'm disappointed in her for the way she has reacted to our child she's pregnant with. I never thought Willow could be so horrible."

"You know she's just scared of the entire situation," he says, "I have to agree with her everything has gone so fast. Before you couldn't even get a date with her and that wasn't even a year ago then you two got engaged and now you're having a child. It can't be too easy for her. I know it's a lame excuse but look at it from her perspective. She's 25 years old, her career is just getting started. She lives for this business and now everything she has ever wanted is drifting away from her it seems. I see her point but I also see your point. I think you two taking a break is a good thing. It gives you two a chance to think about everything that's going on. It's too late for the baby situation but if you two have any doubts about getting married it's not too late for that. I think this is what you two need."

"I do too," I say as my phone buzzes. I pull it out of my pocket and see that Willow sent me a text. It hasn't been easy without her and it's only been a day but the things she has said about our child and her reaction has me second guessing everything. I may have even lost a little bit of respect for her. I read her message and she's asking where I am. "She wants to know where I am, she wants to talk, should I tell her?"

"Only if you want to talk to her," he says. "Do you want to talk to her?"

"I'm not going to deny her," I say. I type a reply in letting her know that I am at the bar with Dean before taking a swig of my beer. "But I still think we need more time to think."

"I agree," says Dean before he takes a swig of his beer. "So are you upset that you're not wrestling Willow's dad at Wrestlemania anymore?"

"I'm not disappointed. I wish I could be and I was looking forward to it but with everyone out on injury right now I see why they changed it. Are you ready for our match at Fast Lane?"

"I'm ready," he says with a smile. "When do you think we'll finally have a feud?"

"I think they are building us up for one. It will be interesting to see what all happens. I want to see how this match plays out. I'm not looking forward to getting into the ring with Brock again though. He's a destroyer. He's not an easy guy to work with in the ring. He is brutal and hardcore."

"But he is one hell of a worker."

"Depends how you look at it," I say, "Willow can't stand Brock Lesnar."

"I know she can't. Isn't there some type of bad blood with him and Taker?"

"Yes," I say. "It's personal and not because Lesnar ended Taker's streak but it goes deeper than that. I can't really discuss what happened but what Lesnar did was the ultimate sin."

"I have a feeling this involves a woman?"

"Yes it does," I say. "You know how you mentioned that it took Willow so long to go on a date with me?"

"Yeah," he says, "what about it? I told you before I don't understand why she took so long to say yes and then out of nowhere after she made you make a fool out of yourself she said yes. I have always had my suspicions you know that."

"Have you seen all the internet rumors about her and everything people are saying? They are saying that she is only marrying me to better herself in her career. They believe that I can boost her higher on the ladder."

"I would like to say I agree but I don't think she would really need you for a career boost. She is Taker's daughter and like you she comes from a powerful wrestling family. Her dad is one of the best and one of the most respected men in this business. As much as I have been suspicious I have to say that I believe she does truly love you and has genuine feelings for you. I wouldn't listen too much to what the internet is saying. I hate social media and I hate the internet because of that very reason. They villainize people like they are doing to Willow. I'm betting that they are some fan girls that are jealous of her that are upset that you two are getting married so their retaliation is to bring HER down and destroy her. I don't think she's marrying you because of her career I think she's marrying you because she truly loves you. I don't think your status in WWE has anything to do with it. She won the Divas championship before you two were even together. It has nothing to do with you. I always thought that maybe it was like that but I know Willow she's not the type of girl to use a man to get further in her career especially when she can just use her father's name to do it and not date someone or marry someone in the business. You have nothing to worry about. The same fan girls hate Renee for no reason too. It's crazy."

"You make a good point," I say as I see Willow walk in the door of the bar. She stops in the doorway looking as beautiful as always. Seeing her makes my heart hurt. Her red curly hair is pulled up in a messy bun and she's dressed in a black t-shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants. She has a small bump forming and her breasts are fuller and bigger than usual. Pregnancy suits her body well. She's glowing. Her green eyes meet my grey eyes and we stare at each other for a second or two not breaking eye contact before she makes her way over to Dean and me. I stand up. "Excuse me," I say to Dean as I start to walk and meet Willow halfway. "Willow," I breathe in the scent of her perfume and the floral scent of her red hair.

"Joe," she says softly with a shaky voice as her lip trembles. I see her eyes starting to blur over. "Can we talk?"

"Yeah," I say before I place my hand at the small of her back and lead her outside the bar so we can talk almost privately. We walk around the corner without saying a word and take a seat at a table outside of a restaurant. I pull her chair out for her and help her take a seat before I take my own. I take her hand into mine as we stare into each other's eyes, my thumb stroking her knuckles softly. "How are you?"

"I'm okay," she says softly. "I miss you. I know it's only been a day but I miss you so much, Joe."

"I miss you too," I say, "but Willow the things you have said about our child really hurt me. You act as if you're alone in all of this but you're not. I assure you, you're not alone in this. You and I both made the choice to have sex. WE both thought that you were protected and there was no chance of a pregnancy but it happened. You and I can't control the fate of that. You know that. What's done is done and being upset about it and calling our child names isn't going to make it any easier. You really hurt me by acting the way you did. I never thought I would see that type of behavior from you. I thought you loved kids?"

"I do love kids," she says looking down at our joined hands and then back up at me. "I love kids a lot but I'm just not ready to have a child of my own yet," she says. "I'm scared, Joe. I'm scared that I'm going to have to give up my career and even more scared that I am going to be in this alone. You're going to be out on the road all the time and I'm going to be at home taking care of our baby. I don't want that. When I thought of having a family I always thought of my husband and I being home together, raising it together and spending time together as a family. I have lived this life, Joe. I grew up without my dad around most of the time I was growing up. I watched my mama do it all by herself and I watched Sara do it by herself. It's not easy, Joe and that's not the life I want to live. I don't want to be a single parent. I'm scared that's how it's going to be and I'm scared I'm going to be a terrible mother. I mean I have no idea how to be a mama. I have never done that before and it scares the hell out of me. I won't know if I'm doing it right or if I'm doing it wrong."

"There is no right or wrong way to raise a child. Everyone has their own parenting skills, Willow. What would you like me to do just walk away from the business, find a regular 9-5 job and be home to help you raise the child or be out on the road making more than enough money to provide for our family?"

"Joe, you know I don't care about money. I never did care about money besides I have a pretty nice size bank account. I have never touched the money my dad has put into that account. Ever since I was born he has put $1,000 a year in that account on my birthday, I have bonds and lots of money put away. It's not like we would suffer but it's NOT about money it is about us. I want us to raise our child together. I don't want to see you out on the road all the time missing out on its life and missing milestones."

"I understand that, Willow but do you know why I took this job? Do you know why I chose to become a wrestler?"

"Why?"

"When Vanessa got pregnant I was just out of college. I thought I had a career in the NFL but my dreams quickly diminished. I had nothing. I had a college degree to fall back on. I took a 9-5 job, we lived off of nothing for years and it was not enough to give Alani the life she deserved. I wanted to do something better, something that I knew would secure her future, get her money for college so I talked to my dad about training me and getting me into the business. I became a wrestler to help provide for Alani, give her opportunity and to put food on the table. I will not give up this business with the fear of not being able to provide for my children and you, Willow. I know it's not going to be easy but I'm going to be there for you and the baby as much as I can. I'm thinking of taking a couple months off when it's first born so you have all the help that you need and you're not alone. I know I'm going to miss milestones and miss so much but I will rest better every night knowing that I will be making the money I need to so that our children have everything they can wish for, so they can go to college and have a future. I don't do well with uncertainty, Willow. I can't walk away; not now but you will NEVER be alone in this. I promise you. I'm going to be here for you, Willow and as for you thinking you're going to be a terrible mother there is absolutely no way. I have seen you with Alani. You're amazing with her and she loves you. I can't wait to see you with our baby. I can't wait to see you as a mother. I know you're going to be amazing, Willow. My problem isn't your fear. It's one thing to be scared of being a mother but it's another thing to say you don't want our child and to behave as selfishly as you did."

"I will admit the way I acted was selfish and I said things I didn't mean. I do want the baby, Joe and I do love it. I may not feel connected to it right now but I will. I wasn't allowing myself to feel connected. I'm happy to be having a baby with you. You and I created life, Joe. I understand what I said was wrong but I want this baby. I had to let it sink it that you and I are going to have a baby, that there's a baby growing inside of me and I can't stop that. There is a life in me and I'm carrying it to bring into this world. There's nothing better than that. I was already thinking of baby names. If we have a girl I was thinking of the name Nelly like in Wuthering Heights. I think that would be beautiful Nelly Calaway-Anoa'i." She makes a beautiful suggestion and I know Wuthering Heights is her favorite book but I don't see her the same way as I did before even if she is trying. "And for a boy we could name him whatever you wanted."

"That's great and everything, Willow but it's not just about the baby. When you behaved the way you did and said the things you did it made me think of you differently. It made me change my opinion of you."

"What are you saying?" she asks.

"What I am saying is I need more time. I need to think about us. I need to think if this is what I really want and I think you need to think about it too."

"Joe," she says with her lip trembling. "I love you. You know that."

"And I love you, Willow but you and I need more time to think. We need to think if this is what we really want. You said everything was going so fast and you may be right it is. We can't change the fact we are having a baby together but if this is not what we want then there's no sense in wasting our time being together."

"Joe, I want this. I want you. I love you so much it hurts. I could never be without you. I don't need time. I know this is what I want," she says. "Please. I want you. I want this. I want this family. I want this marriage. I want to be with you the rest of my life." A cry in her voice as she sobs out her words it nearly shatters my heart. I don't want it to be this way but I need time to think. I need to make sure she is still the woman I want after seeing her behave the way she did I see she's not the woman I always thought she was. "Please," she cries."

"Willow, just take some time to think. We can't just act like everything is going to be okay after you tell me you don't want the life we created. I need time to think because honestly you aren't the same woman I fell in love with and I'm not okay with that."

"I was scared, Joe," she sobs. "Please," she says as I let go of her hand. "Don't do this. Please give me another chance."

"I'm sorry, Willow right now we need to take a break and just think about us, think about what we want."

"Joe," she cries and begs. "Don't."

"Willow," I say standing up. "We need space and we need time. Just give me that. Give me time to think."

"Will you come back?" she asks.

"I don't know," I say before I walk away and my heart breaks as I hear her break down crying behind me.

 ***A/N: What do you think of the rumors about Willow? Do you believe she could be using Roman to get further in her career or does she have genuine feelings for him? What do you think of her telling Roman her fears? What did you think of his reaction? Should he walk away from the business or keep working? Do you think Roman is right they need more time? What do you think of Roman's opinion of Willow changing? Do you think Joe will go back to Willow? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	43. Chapter 43

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter they were greatly appreciated. THank-you all so much.**

"Willow, are you okay?" asks Michelle as she knocks on my bedroom door as I'm lying in my bed crying into my pillow, I have been crying all night and throwing up in between as a constant reminder that I'm carrying mine and Joe's child. "Willow?"

"I'm okay," I say hoarsely.

"Are you sure, you've been in there all night crying, do you want to talk about it?"

"I'm all right," I answer.

"Willow, I'm a good listener. If you want to talk about it you know I'm here for you. I just want to know how everything went with Joe. Can I come in?"

I sit up in my bed and hug my knees after wiping away the tears on my face, my pillow remains tear stained from my mascara. I don't even want to see what I look like in the mirror. I'm sure I'm not looking my best. I know my face is probably red and blotchy from crying. It has always been like that since I was a little girl. I have sensitive skin and when I cry the reminder of my tears remain on my face with red blotchy unattractive marks. "Come in," I respond.

Michelle walks into the room and looks at me as she enters the room shutting the door behind her. "Willow, what happened when you went to talk to Joe?" she asks as she takes a seat next to me in my bed.

"I went to the bar to talk to him," I begin, "he was willing to talk. I explained why I acted the way I did about the baby and told him my fears. He said he understands my fears but that was no excuse for me to behave so selfishly. I wanted it to fix everything between us because I love him but he told me he feels like we still need more time to think, that we just need to take a break right now. He's not really sure he wants to be with me anymore all because of my behavior and reaction to the baby. I know it was selfish of me to behave the way I did but I was scared. I still am scared this is a big change for me. I never had a kid before, hell I didn't even want kids. I agreed to have kids further down the road but not now. Agreeing to marrying him and getting engaged was a big step for me but this is even bigger. My entire life is about to change it's not like it's a subtle change. My body is changing, I'm going to get bigger, I'm going to lose time in my career and everything is just going to change. He doesn't understand that it scares me. I need him, Michelle, I don't want to do this alone. I feel so alone."

"I don't think Joe is going to make you go through this alone. Maybe the way you acted hurt him in a way. Maybe telling him that you don't want your child with him hurt him. He seems like he is a great father to Alani and he seems like he loves kids. I'm sure he's still trying to rationalize your reaction. I know he cares that you're scared but telling him you don't want that baby probably hurt him in more ways than you'll know. Maybe he just needs a little more time to himself."

"But to tell me I'm not the girl he thought I was and to tell me that we need to think about if this is what we really want. I really do want to marry him and I want to have his baby. I don't have to think about it. What if he decides that he doesn't want this anymore? What am I supposed to do?"

"If he decides this isn't what he wants then you're going to need to do this alone. You're going to be the strong woman you and I know you are and you're going to be independent."

"But I don't want to do this without him, I don't want him to leave me. I don't want our child growing up like I did in a broken home having to split the holidays with both Joe and me. I don't want that for my child. I want to give my child the best. It deserves the best. I can't give it the best if Joe walks away from me."

"If Joe walks away from you you're going to need to do this by yourself. Why do you think if you're alone that you can't give your child the best? Whether you and Joe parent together or not or stay together you should have no problem giving your child the best. All you need to do is love your child endlessly, support them and cherish them. You can still give them the best. You're going to be a great mom with or without Joe. You can do this. I see how you are with Kai and how you are with Gracie. You love kids. You're great with kids. You'll be a great mom."

"Again, I don't want to do it myself," I say. "I want to do this with Joe. We created this baby together, we are supposed to get married. I love him; I love him a lot. I really don't want to lose him. He is everything to me. I will admit I was selfish but I just see us raising our baby together, I see him teaching our son to play football or teaching our daughter how to ride a bike. I see him being an amazing dad to our child just like he is to Alani. I want that. I want him. I want this life with him. If he walks away my heart will be broken."

"It will hurt I'm sure but you're strong, Willow. Stop being negative about it, think positively. Have a lot of faith. Joe doesn't seem like the type of man that will just walk away for this."

"I told him I don't want our child. I was selfish. I would leave me too," I say sadly. "What do I do while he's deciding on what he wants?"

"You wait. You have to be patient. Don't try to push him. Give him the space he needs and give him the time he needs to think things through. It wouldn't be so bad if you did the same. I know you think this is what you want but make sure you're 100 percent sure that this is what you really want. That way you two can talk this out again and settle all the differences between you."

"Okay but I don't have anything to think about this is what I want, Michelle. I want this life with Joe."

"And you know no matter what happens you have your dad and me to help you out."

"Thanks, Mimi," I say.

"You're welcome," she says before giving me a hug. "Did you decide what you're going to do about wrestling?"

"Well, I have a 2 year contract with them and it hasn't even been a year yet so I have two options take this time off go back in a year or just break contract and stay home to be with the baby. I haven't talked to Corano yet. I'm dreading that conversation. How did you know you were ready to walk away from something you loved?"

"Because I found a greater love in your father than I did in the ring, I was getting older. I wanted to start a family with your dad. I also had a few years under my belt before I gave it up. You just know."

"I don't know if I am ready or not. I don't want to commit to another year and a half if I don't know if I'm going to go back. My dad said that once I have my baby nothing else will matter. What if I want to be with the baby than out on the road? I'm confused. I don't know what to do or where to go from here. I don't even know if my baby's father will be with me or not. I hate the idea of him being on the road so much while I'm at home with the baby, I hate the idea of being out on the road with him and someone else raising our child and I hate the idea of dragging a child out on the road with us. A baby needs stability. Traveling all over the world is not the lifestyle for an innocent child. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place here. I guess I should talk to Corano and see what he suggests me doing. I don't think breaking my contract is a good idea I think it needs to be mutually agreed upon. Mimi, I don't know what to do."

"I'll let you in on a secret, just because you're going to be a mom doesn't mean that your career is over. You can still have a successful career. You know that sometimes parents have to make sacrifices for their child. I know you don't want to leave your child behind so you can travel the world but not being happy because you're not doing what you love isn't good for your child either. They want a happy mommy. They don't want a sad mommy. You also don't want your child to think that they caused you to give up something that you loved for them. You can be a mom and be a diva. There have been plenty of women that have done it. Look at Stephanie. She has 3 little girls yet she is a successful business woman and on WWE programming every week."

"I have no idea how she does it," I say. "She does so much how does she find time to be a mom?"

"Times are different these days, Willow. Technology plays a big role in our lives. There's facetime, video, Skype whenever you can. You'll be all right, Willow I promise. Stephanie goes home after every Smackdown taping and comes back on the road every Sunday night."

"I would be working house shows on the weekend. I have to work something out with Corano because I have no idea how life is going to be in a few months," I say as I place my hand on my stomach.

"When do you plan to talk to him?"

"I was thinking at Fast Lane. I don't really know. I figured that's the best time and it looks like they are getting ready to give Joe another title reign but a longer one this time. A championship run will keep him busy which means he'll be missing appointments and missing out on time at home. I don't know. This isn't the life I had ever expected."

"Sometimes it is the things we least expect that make us the happiest. There's a reason for everything," she says. "Have you thought of any names yet for the baby or is it too soon?"

"I have been thinking about Nelly for a girl or maybe even Emily after Emily Bronte or Charlotte after Charlotte Bronte but of course Joe gets a say in our child's name. I kind of like Emily Charlotte if we go with Emily for a girl as for a boy name I told Joe he can choose whatever name he wishes to use. Maybe once he decides what he wants to do we will sit down and talk about baby names. I can only handle one thing at a time," I say with a small laugh but it's true. I can only handle one thing at a time. I can't think that far ahead when I don't even know what is going to come my way tomorrow or even in the next hour. I have been desperate waiting to hear from Joe, waiting for a text or a call, something to let me know there is hope.

 **JOE's POINT OF VIEW:**

"You're doing a great job, Sweetheart," I say to my daughter Alani as we are sitting in a painting studio painting a picture of a sea turtle.

"Thanks, Daddy," she says with a smile as she dips her paintbrush into paint. "I thought Willow was coming? What happened?"

"Willow and I had a little disagreement," I say honestly as I paint. It is a very calming task and was helping to take my mind off of everything with Willow and the baby. Our disagreement was hardly a little one but Alani doesn't need to know that.

"Did you two break up?" she asks as she continues to paint causing me to stop the strokes of my brush.

"We didn't break up exactly, we're just taking a little break right now."

"Is she going to come back?"

"I'm not sure yet," I say, "it depends what happens on this break."

"That's sad," she says. "I really like Willow. She's a fun mommy," she says making me smile.

"You like her?"

"I love her, Daddy. She's fun. She's always playing dolls with me or coloring with me. She would make a good mommy someday. She makes me laugh and when I fall down she always hugs me and kisses me. She takes care of all my boo boo's."

"You think she would be a good mommy?"

"I think she will be one of the best," she says looking at me with a smile on her face. "Do you love her, Daddy?"

"I do love her. I love her a lot," I say, "but she said some things that hurt my feelings. I need time to think about what she did. It's like a timeout you know when you have to think things through?"

"Yes, Daddy, what did she say that hurt your feelings?"

"It's grown up stuff," I say as we paint. "We just didn't agree on some things and right now we're just taking a break."

"I miss her already, Daddy. I hope you two still get married."

"I hope we do too but I need some time to think about her and think about what she said to me."

"Daddy, you know sometimes people say things that they don't really mean. Sometimes they say things because they are sad, mad or scared. If you really do love her Daddy I think you should forgive her."

"I'm working on it, Alani. How old are you again?"

"I'm 8," she says with a smile.

"8 going on 18," I smile back, "how did you get to be so smart?"

"I don't know, Daddy. Your picture is good too."

"Thanks," I say with a smile. "Alani?"

"Yes?"

"How would you feel if Willow and I were going to have a baby?"

"I think it would be awesome! I'll have two baby brothers, two baby sisters or one of each," she says with a smile. "Are you and Willow going to have a baby?"

"Yes we're going to have a baby. You're going to be a big sister."

"That's so awesome!" she squeals. "I can't wait. When is the baby coming?"

"September," I say.

"Well, then you need to forgive her, Daddy so that we can be a family! Please, Daddy. She loves you and you love her. You need to forgive her."

"I'm working on it, Alani," I say with a soft smile. "It's just going to take some time but I hope everything will be okay. I just need to think things over."

"Think really hard, Daddy. Willow is good for you. She makes you happy and she loves you. Whatever she said I'm sure she didn't mean it. And I'm sure she's very sorry. You two belong together. Daddy, please pinky promise me you will forgive Willow." She holds out her pinky to me and I have no choice but to hook pinkies with her.

"Pinky promise," I say.

 ***A/N: What do you think of Willow being sure this is what she wants? Do you think her heart has changed? Do you think she can work things out with her contract or will she need to quit? What do you think of Joe talking to Alani? What about Alani's love for Willow? Should Joe listen to his daughter? What do you think of him pinky promising her? Do you think he will forgive Willow?**


	44. Chapter 44

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

"Hey," I say as I walk up to Joe backstage at Monday Night RAW it has been a couple weeks since I have last seen him or heard from him. It hasn't been easy but I'm giving him the space and the time he desires. Every day for the last couple weeks I have been waiting for a text or a phone call from him. Every time my phone buzzes or whistles, every time it rings I get this burst of hope in my heart that he's ready to talk, ready to work things out but every time I see that it's not Joe I lose a little bit more hope. I'm worried that we'll never be able to work this out, that we'll never be together when this is all I want is to be with him and raise our baby together. I want us to be a family. I love him too much to just let him go.

"Hey," he says in his deep voice. "How are you?"

"I'm okay. How are you?"

"Good," he says as an awkward silence filled the air. "You're looking radiant today," he says to me.

"Thank-you," I respond with a smile as I feel my face heat to a soft shade of pink only Joe could make me blush. "Congratulations on your win last night at Fast Lane. It looks like you're headlining Mania again this year. Congratulations. It must feel great."

"Thanks," he says with a smile. "I'm looking forward to it. I wish I could be wrestling your dad but this is the new direction they want to go I'm fine with it. I am hoping to get my Wrestlemania moment."

"You deserve it after last year and everything you've gone through in the last year. I really hope you get it. Is Alani coming to the show this year?"

"I hope so," he says. "They're thinking of turning me heel after Mania so I don't know if that means I will get my title or not but I'm hoping it does."

"That's a big step for you. I'm proud of you, Joe. You're really standing up for the company and being that guy. I know it's a lot of time away from home for you but you're doing it. You're pretty much the top guy in the business right now."

"It's a lot of work but I love what I do. The paycheck isn't too bad either. So what's up? What are you doing here tonight?"

"I came to talk to Mark about the baby. I need to tell him sometime. I can't wait much longer because soon they're going to expect me to make my return and I can't make my return until our child is born I don't think I can go out there and wrestle pregnant."

"Not a good idea," he says with amusement that makes me smile. "You ready to tell him?"

"I'm ready," I say. "I don't know how he's going to react to the news especially since I'm still under contract for another 15 months."

"You're obligated to stick to that contract for 15 months unless they want to release you from it. Do you want me to come with you to talk to Mark?"

"Do you want to?"

"Well, we are in this together I'm not going to make you do it alone. If you want me to be there when you tell him I will be. Do you want me to be?"

"That would be great," I say with a smile. "I'm really nervous about talking to him. I want to see if we can work something else out for me to do while I'm pregnant and unable to compete. There has to be something."

"I'm sure you can work that out. Are you still having morning sickness?"

"Not as bad as I was before. It has started to ease up a little. I still get sick occasionally but not like before."

"That's good," he says as we make our way to speak to Mark about my status in WWE and to tell him the news of the baby. I feel better knowing that Joe offered to come with me. I wasn't expecting it and the fact he said that we are in this together made me feel even better, it gave me a little bit more hope. It makes me feel like we still have a chance.

"How's Alani?" I ask.

"She's doing well, she misses you a lot. She's doing great in her new school. She likes it a lot."

"I'm glad to hear it. I miss her too," I say as we walk side by side.

"You know you don't need to be a stranger you can come visit Alani whenever you want. I'm sure she would really enjoy that. You two can even spend the day together or something whatever you want to do."

"Would Vanessa be okay with that?" I ask. "I don't want to step on her toes or anything."

"It doesn't matter what Vanessa wants. When Alani is with me I make the decisions if you want to come visit her or take her out for the day I'm okay with that. I'm sure that Alani would love that very much. She keeps asking about you."

"I would love to do that," I say with a smile. "Thanks I really do miss her. I've been thinking about her a lot. Does she know she's going to have a baby brother or sister?"

"We talked about it," he says as we reach Mark's office. "Are you ready for this?"

"As ready as I'm ever going to be," I say with a smile as he knocks on the door. Mark calls out for us to come in and Joe opens the door for me allowing me to walk in first. He closes the door behind him as we make our way to two chairs at Mark's desk.

"Willow," he says with a smile. "It's such a pleasure to see you. How are you doing? How's the recovery coming along? Is that knee ready to go?"

"Well, the recovery is going well; no more limitations. I'm ready to go. My knee is even stronger and better than before," I answer.

"That's good to hear, maybe we can get you back in the ring before Mania. We are planning on a Triple Threat match for Mania with Sasha, Charlotte and Becky since you had to unfairly give up your championship maybe you could make an appearance and tell Charlotte you want your rematch. We could make it a fatal four way for the Divas championship," he says making me feel disappointed. Having a match like that at Wrestlemania is my dream, it is all I ever dreamed of or wanted in my life. To get in the ring with some of my best friends, some of the best women in the company would be a great night. "How does that sound?" he asks as Joe takes my hand into his.

"That sounds really good and I would LOVE to wrestle in a Fatal Four Way at Mania for the Divas Championship I would love nothing more except one thing," I say as tears fill my eyes.

"One thing that you love more than regaining the Divas championship?" he asks. "Must be something big."

"It's something amazing," I say with a nod. "You see as much as I would love to come back to the ring I can't right now. I need to take some extra time off," I say, "I found out a couple months ago that Joe and I are having a baby."

"Whoa," he says shockingly. "I was not expecting that news. You're having a baby?"

"Due in September," I say. "I wasn't expecting that news either. I was shocked to say the least."

"Congratulations," he says with a smile. "I guess you won't be returning at Mania. I guess we'll have to wait for you to come back after the baby is born."

"I don't know if I want to come back to the ring. I don't want to make a promise that I'll be back and then not come back. I know I'm under contract and I still have 15 months but I can't make a guarantee that I will be back after the baby is born. I need time to think about it. I'll have to train some more, I'll have to go through a lot and at this time I don't know if I want to leave my baby behind. It's a hard decision I have to make and as much as I love this business I love my baby just a little bit more, maybe even a lot more. I just can't make the decision right now if I will be back or not. I need to feel things out and see how everything plays out."

"I understand where you're coming from and yes you still have 15 months on your contract left however in a situation like this if you decide you don't want to come back after the baby is born we can come to a mutual agreement to let you out of your contract. We are not going to force you to finish out your contract if you don't' want to because you want to be at home with your child. We understand that. Is that what you want to do? Do you want to be left out of your contract?" Joe squeezes my hand for comfort. He knows how much I love my career and how much it means to me but he also knows how hard it is to nearly walk away from everything I love.

"I haven't made my final decision yet. I would hate to walk away from the business but I don't know how I'm going to feel leaving my child for days to do this. I need time to think about it all. Can I have that time or do I need to make a decision right now?"

"You can take the time you're pregnant taking care of you and the baby is the number one priority right now don't worry about making any decisions. You need to worry about taking care of you and the baby. In a few months we'll talk."

"Am I still able to travel with the company and maybe there is something I can do in the meantime while waiting for the baby to come. I know I can't interview anyone but could I do the pre-shows or host some type of show on the network? Something to keep me busy, then I won't feel entirely useless."

"I'm sure that we can work something out as long as you're not in the line of fire and you're safe I'm sure something can be arranged. Being part of the panel on the pre-shows might actually work. I'll discuss this with Vince and get back to you. How does that sound?"

"Good," I say with a smile.

"And I'm sure Joe would love for you to stay safe. Congratulations, Joe."

"Thanks," says Joe with a smile as he shakes Mark's hand. "I want nothing more for her than to be safe and healthy."

"We're going to make sure we keep her safe and healthy," he responded. "You haven't announced it to the world yet?"

"No right now only a few people know. I'm not sure I want the world to know. I want this to stay a private family matter between Joe and me and our families. I don't' want people worrying about my pregnancy or worrying about Joe and I. Somethings are better off private than public. We want our child to have a life of privacy and the best way to start that is by not allowing anyone that we don't know personally know that I'm even pregnant. I don't know what we can tell the fans but it won't be that Joe and I are having a baby."

"I like that you want to keep this private but if you do the pre-show how will you keep it a secret?"

"Because I'll be sitting behind a table no one will see my belly. It is just really important to me that Joe and I have our privacy during this time."

"We will respect your privacy," he assures us.

"Thank-you," I say.

"Thank-you," says Joe.

Mark congratulates us once more on our baby and then lets me know that he will be talking to Vince about me doing the pre-shows while I'm pregnant. He also lets me know that it's my decision to make about coming back or not after I have the baby but we agreed we will wait until after the baby is born before I make any type of decision. I know I have to do what's best for the baby and not for me even if it means walking away from the business I have loved since I was a little girl. "Thanks for doing that with me I really appreciate it."

"Willow, you and I are in this together. WE created that life together not just you and not just me but both of us. No matter what happens between you and I you will never do any of this alone. If we break up for good then I will do everything in my power to be a part of our child's life, help out as much as I can. We'll co-parent together and work together for our child no matter what happens. You'll never be alone in this situation I'm always going to be here no matter what happens." Something in how he worded whatever happens between us suddenly makes me feel uneasy every bit of hope I had been feeling has been crushed and is slowly fading away. It sounds almost as if he wants us to be done but is willing to be a part of the baby's life. I don't know if I'm willing to let this all go so easily, let him go.

"Joe," I say, "I love you."

"I know, Willow. I know that you love me and you can say it a thousand times but words mean NOTHING actions mean everything. The way you acted tells me differently. I'm sorry, Willow. I just need some more time to think. This isn't an easy decision to make just know that whatever happens I'm going to be there for the baby okay?"

"Okay," I say biting my lip, holding back from crying.

"I have to go get ready for tonight," he says.

"Wait," I say stopping him from walking away.

"Yeah?"

"I have an ultrasound on Thursday and my 8 week check-up would you like to come with me?"

"Of course what time is it?" he asks.

"2pm I can pick you up or you can meet me there whatever you want to do," I say hoping he will let me pick him up.

"2pm I'll meet you there," he says with a soft heart-melting smile. "I'll see you later, Willow," he says before he walks away as if we are nothing, if we never had anything; like we were strangers. It breaks my heart, tears me apart watching him walk away. Tears blur my eyes as I watch him disappear down the hallway and I take a seat on the trunk and start to cry. I caused all of this, I pushed him away because I was selfish and couldn't get over me and I may have lost him forever.

 ***A/N: How do you think her meeting with Mark went? Do you think she'll be able to be on the panel to host the pre-shows? What do you think of her being torn on her decision? Do you think she'll go back to the ring after the baby is born or do you think she'll want left out of her contract? What did you think of Joe telling her he still needs time? Does it sound like Joe has made up his mind in a way? Do you think this is the end? What do you think of him still stepping up to be a dad? How do you think their appointment is going to go? Please review and thank-you for reading.**

 ***SNEAK PEAK* Joe will make his decision in the next chapter :)**


	45. Chapter 45

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

The next few days didn't go as fast as I had hoped they would. I was starting to feel desperate to see Joe again and I couldn't wait to talk to him again. The last time he walked away from me, crushing me and breaking my heart. I hate watching him walk away. I want to walk beside him, with him. I know he promised me that he wouldn't allow me to go through all of this alone but I want to do this together, married as one not in a broken home. I don't want our child to have to split the holidays or weekends or the weeks. I lived that life with my parents. It was one of the worst things I could have gone through. I hated being at one house and then a few days later at the other house. I don't want that for my children. I regret reacting the way I did but I was scared. I didn't know how else to react. Sometimes fear makes us say things we don't mean. I hope to repair what is broken between Joe and me. It has to be repaired.

I sit in the waiting room of my doctor's office waiting for Joe. He told me he would meet me here so he could see how the baby is doing and so that we can get an ultrasound together. I look at my cellphone to see it's 5 minutes before my scheduled appointment time and start to freak out a little inside because Joe isn't here yet. I hold my cellphone in my hand debating with myself if I want to send him a text or if I want to call him to see if he's on his way to the appointment or not. Just as I start to type out a text the door to the waiting room opens and I am instantly aware of Joe's masculine presence. I look over at the door and see him walk in and my breath is caught in my throat. He has always been breathtakingly gorgeous but today he takes my breath away, I'm not sure if it's the hormones or if it has really been that long since we have seen each other that he has me affected by his presence. I swallow hard as I look at his beautiful face, covered with sunglasses, even with a broken nose he still looks gorgeous. He's dressed in a white muscle shirt and a pair of khaki shorts, his hair pulled into a low bun and he's wearing a pair of Nike sneakers on his feet on this beautiful warm winter day in Tampa. "Hey," I say with a smile as he takes a seat next to me and the scent of his cologne invades my nose taking me back to a time when we were happy together and everything was perfect between the two of us. "How are you?"

"Hey," he says to me as he takes off his sunglasses exposing his swollen nose and two black and blue eyes. "I'm okay," he says.

"Hunter really did a number on your face huh?" I ask thinking back to the other night when Joe's nose was shattered during an assault by Hunter at the end of Raw. Everyone thought it was just a work but he did need to get surgery a couple days ago to repair his nose.

"Yeah," he says. "It wasn't supposed to turn into nasal surgery but here I am," he says.

"I'm sorry," I say.

"Don't be sorry," he says, "it's a lot better today than it was a couple days ago. I am out of action for about 3 weeks until it heals. I'll be okay," he says.

"So everything is repaired then?"

"Yeah," he says. "I'm good."

"It looks like it hurts."

"It doesn't tickle," he says as the nurse comes out to call us back for my appointment.

Joe allows me to go before him. The nurse hands me a cup to pee in after she checks my weight to tell me that I have gained 5 pounds since my last appointment. I make my way to the bathroom while she takes Joe to the room the doctor will be checking me out in. I do what I need to do and make my way to the room. Joe is sitting in the chair on his phone as the nurse asks me questions about my morning sickness and other questions regarding my pregnancy. "So your morning sickness has eased up some since the doctor gave you the medication?"

"Very much so," I answer the nurse. "I'm starting to be able to get through the day and I'm able to keep things down. It's been a lot better than before."

"That's good to know. Have you noticed any other issues that don't seem normal to you?"

"Not really," I say, "other than my boobs are intensely sore. I can barely touch them. They seem so full and heavy," I say as Joe looks up at me with a smirk on his face, shakes his head and goes back to texting on his phone as if he doesn't want to be here.

"That's normal, your breasts are going to be tender for some time now and soon they will start to produce discharge called colostrum. I promise you it's all normal. You're going to feel some discomfort in your breasts from now until you deliver the baby."

"Great," I say. "And stretch marks? What can I do about stretch marks? I haven't gotten any yet. My stomach is starting to show just a little bit but nothing major. I am thinking down the road what can I do to prevent stretch marks?"

"You can put cocoa butter on your stomach to prevent and help with stretch marks," she says. "Are there any other questions?"

"Exercise, what is safe for me to do about exercise?"

"In the earliest stages of pregnancy we suggest you do nothing strenuous. Exercise is good for you during pregnancy it helps to keep you healthy and helps to keep you in shape. I can have the doctor give you a list of exercises to do to keep you in shape and that are safe for you and the baby. Also along with exercise you will soon start to have cravings just remember it's okay to have cravings but it's not okay to eat excessively. You don't want to overdo it and fill up on fattening foods. It's important that you eat healthy, maintain a healthy diet and a healthy exercise regime during your pregnancy. I'm not saying don't give into your cravings. It's okay to have a piece of chocolate cake here and there or have a burrito but I'm saying don't overdo it. Don't fill up on unhealthy foods and claim that it's for the baby. Excessive eating and eating fattening foods is not good for either you or the baby."

"I see," I say, "but trust me I have no desire for any chocolate cake or anything chocolate. I can't stand the smell or the taste of chocolate at the moment it makes me sick. I'm more into the fruits and spicy foods."

"So you're already having cravings, what was the last craving you had?"

"Strawberries," I answer, "with whipped cream."

"So fruit is a craving, that's good," she says with a smile. "Do you have any more questions for me?"

"No I think I'm all right," I say with a smile.

"Okay, Willow, the doctor will be in shortly to see you."

"Thank-you," I say with a smile before she walks out of the room leaving Joe and I alone in an awkward silence.

After a few minutes of silence there was a knock on the door. "Come in," I call out and the door slowly opens and my doctor walks into the room with a smile on his face. He shakes Joe's hand first and then shakes my hand.

"Willow, how are you feeling today? I hear you're doing better since I prescribed your anti-nausea medicine."

"I'm doing a lot better thank-you," I say with a smile.

"I'm glad to hear it," he says, "and Joe, how are you doing? I saw you had some incident happen with your nose the other night."

"I'm hanging in there," he answers. "I had surgery on Tuesday to repair a shattered septum. It should be healed up in a few weeks."

"I'm glad to hear that," says the doctor as he washes his hands at the sink in the room. "So here's what we're going to do today, I'm going to do an ultrasound to see how the baby is doing, to make sure it's growing the way it should, check its heartbeat and all that good stuff," he says, "are you okay with that, Willow?"

"Sounds perfect to me," I say with a smile.

"By the way, I love your interest in exercising during your pregnancy," he says as he prepares me for my ultrasound by helping me lie back on the bed. "Exercise is very important during your pregnancy. I'm not telling you to lift weights or anything strenuous and no wrestling during your pregnancy."

"What would you suggest?"

"I would suggest doing some yoga during your pregnancy. I have had a lot of patients that did yoga while they were pregnant and when it came time for delivery they were a lot more relaxed and focused. I highly recommend yoga it helps to keep you fit and helps you during delivery."

"Okay," I say with a nod, "what about aerobics or Zumba, is that okay?"

"Zumba and aerobics are okay for now but don't overdo it. It's important that you don't elevate your heartrate."

"Okay," I say in agreement as he turns on the ultrasound machine.

"All right, let's get started. First I'm going to check the baby's heartbeat," he says, "Joe would you like to help me out?"

"Sure," he says with a proud smile as he tucks his phone away into his pocket. "What do I have to do?" he asks.

"I'm going to give you the wand to the Doppler and you're going to place it on Willow's stomach to find the heartbeat."

"Okay," says Joe with a smile as the doctor hands him the wand to the Doppler. "So I just put it on her stomach and try to find the heartbeat?"

"Yes," he says with a smile. "Apply a little bit of pressure on it," he says as Joe puts the cold Doppler wand onto my bare stomach. He presses gently into my stomach but applies enough pressure to find a heartbeat. He moves the wand around a bit. He stops as a pounding fills the air. "And there is your baby's heartbeat," says the doctor making me smile.

I look up at Joe and see the tears forming in his eyes as I form tears in my eyes. "Do you hear it?" I ask with a smile.

"It's the most beautiful sound I have ever heard," says Joe with a smile as our baby's heartbeat beats strong throughout the room.

"It sounds healthy," says the doctor with a smile. "It has a nice strong heartbeat," he says as I wipe the tears from my eyes. I have never heard a more beautiful sound and in that moment it all becomes real. I'm carrying a little life inside of me and nothing else matters more to me than my baby. "All right," he says taking the Doppler from Joe a couple minutes later. "Let's see how the baby is doing." The doctor pulls out the wand to the ultrasound machine, the same one he used previously for an internal ultrasound a few weeks ago. He places what looks like a condom onto the wand and says, "just relax, Willow, you're going to feel a little discomfort but just relax."

"Okay," I respond preparing myself for the internal ultrasound. I smile as Joe takes my hand into his. I squeeze his hand as the doctor starts the ultrasound.

"And there it is," says the doctor with a smile as he points to the screen.

"Joe, look," I say proudly with tears in my eyes. "It's our baby. It looks like a tiny person," I say as I look at its round head and its tiny hands, tiny arms, tiny legs and its tiny feet. Tears flow from my eyes as I look at the life we created on the screen.

"Are you crying, Willow?" asks Joe with tears in his own eyes.

"It's just so precious," I say through my tears of joy and some tears of guilt. "I'm so sorry, Joe, I didn't mean what I said, I really want this baby. I feel terrible for saying I didn't want this life we created. I know you said sorry doesn't matter because my actions proved more. I'm sorry," I cry. "Please forgive. I want this baby more than anything. You and I created life together. Look at our baby, Joe. That's us, that's our love. I'm so sorry," I say through my soft cries of guilt.

"Shh," he says as he leans down and kisses my forehead.

"Do you two want some time alone?" asks the doctor with discomfort in his voice.

"Please," requests Joe. The doctor excuses himself from the room and leaves Joe and me alone. "Willow."

"Joe, I'm sorry. I know I can say I'm sorry a million times and that's not going to change what I said but I really regret it. I was selfish. I'm sorry, Joe. Please don't hate me."

"I don't hate you, Willow, I'm disappointed in you. Everything you said when you found out we were having a baby hurt me. I saw a side of you I didn't think existed. I understand you were scared but what you said was hurtful. It made me feel like my feelings didn't matter. I understand your fear but instead of saying you don't want our baby and saying you don't want this you could have talked to me, told me about your fears and we would have worked it out that way but you didn't. You chose to be selfish and say you didn't want the baby. How was I supposed to feel?"

"I know and I'm sorry. I wish I had gone to you and talked to you about it. I was just scared that I would be in this alone and that I had to give up everything I loved to be a mom."

"I would never let you go through this alone, Willow, you know that. Where am I right now? I'm with you at a doctor's appointment. I could be a thousand other places but I'm here with you because we are in this together, Willow. This is the life you and I created together from our love. I know it wasn't the ideal situation we were hoping for but life has a funny way of working out sometimes. There's a reason for everything. I have been fighting with myself on what I want to do. I've been miserable without you, Willow. I love you and I probably will never be able to stop. I love you so much. I don't want to do this anymore, Willow. I don't want to live apart anymore. I don't want to do this anymore but I need you to prove to me you're sincere that you really do want this baby, that you can trust me. Things are going to be rough at first but soon everything is going to be the way it was before. It's just going to take time. I still want to marry you, I want to do this right this time. I want to do this as a family. I have this whole life with you planned out."

"You shouldn't make plans," I say with a soft smile, "life has a funny way of changing the plans you make, it's all about living one day at a time. I promise I will be better. I'm sorry, Joe. I love you too. I promise I will prove to you that this baby means the world to me and that I can trust you. I want this life together with you. I love you, Joe."

"I love you too," he says with a soft smile, "but you should know if we have a boy I am set on the name Calaway and to take me back you'll just have to accept that."

"Calaway?" I ask.

"You heard me correctly," he says with a smile, "I mean you did say that I had the call on a boy's name right?"

"Yeah, but Calaway?" I question.

"Let me explain," he says. "At the beginning of next year you're going to take my last name, Calaway is going to disappear. I know how much your father's legacy means to you, I know how much the Calaway name means to you. I know you want to carry it on, carry it down the line. This is the best way I could think of for you to do that; Calaway Anoa'i, Calaway Peter Anoa'i. I want our son to carry the name Calaway as well as Anoa'i. What do you think?"

"I think I have fallen even more in love with you than I was before," I say with a smile, touched that even though we weren't together he was thinking of me. "But you should know that I don't want to know the sex of the baby until it's born."

"Fair enough," he says with a smile, "and it's a good thing you have fallen more in love with me than you were before because I'm not going anywhere, you're stuck with me for life," he says with a smile.

"I think I can handle that," I say with a smile, my heart full and tears of happiness in my eyes as he leans down and kisses my lips softly as he places his hand on my stomach and in this moment it feels like our entire lives are finally falling back into place.

 ***A/N: What do you think of Willow's new change in attitude to the baby? Do you think hearing its heartbeat and actually seeing it growing on the ultrasound helped change her heart even more? What did you think of her reaction this time? What do you think of Joe choosing to take her back? Do you think he should have made the choice to let her go? What do you think of him wanting to name the baby Calaway if it is a boy? Do you think it will take some time for Joe to gain trust in Willow again? Will she be able to prove to him that this is the life that she wants? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	46. Chapter 46

***thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated Thank-you all so much***

"I can't say that I have ever met your mom before," says Joe as we are driving through Tennessee streets that are so familiar to me and remind me of my childhood spent in Franklin, Tennessee.

"My mother and I hardly speak anymore. The last time I think I actually spoke more than a couple words to her was the other day when I arranged this meeting. I thought that since we are in Tennessee for a show that we would visit her so that you could meet her and meet my brother"

"You didn't have to go through all of this," he says, "I didn't need to meet either of them just yet."

"We're getting married in almost 9 months. I think you should meet them before we make that commitment and not to mention you are the father of my mom's first grandchild. I think she should meet you. She has no idea that I'm pregnant either."

"So you're going to leave all that for when we meet? I'm sure that will go over well," he says with a smile as I take his hand into mine, linking our fingers together.

"I figured we should do it together just like next week we'll be telling your family about the baby. I don't want to tell her alone. I don't think she'll freak out but I think she's going to have something to say about it. I must warn you my mom is a little out there. I never know how she's going to react to anything. She's had some problems in the past with depression and she has been diagnosed with being bipolar," she says sharing her mother's secret. She never really told Joe about her mother or the issues she faces every day in her life. It's not like she didn't love her mom, she loved her very much it was just her mom overwhelmed her. "I just don't know how she will take the news."

"It's fine, I'm okay with however she handles it. I'm happy, you're happy. That's all that truly matters as long as you and I are both happy. I can't wait to meet the little guy or girl."

"Neither can I," I say with a smile. "You sure you're okay with waiting until the baby is born to find out the sex?"

"I'm good with that," he says, "we can do the nursery in a gender neutral theme we won't use any blues or pinks, not even purples. We can paint the nursery yellow or green. I am sure they have some type of gender neutral themes out there that are cute." I let out a soft little giggle. "What's so funny, Willow?"

"It's just a year ago you were out sleeping with every girl you could find and not looking for commitment and now this year you're talking about wedding centerpieces, wedding dates and baby nurseries. A lot can change in a year."

"Tell me about it," he says, "I never thought about commitment until you came along then you made me change my perspective on life. I never thought I would be able to love again. I didn't think I would ever be happy again but I'm truly happy with you. I know we had a bit of a rough patch but things are slowly clearing up after all that."

"I'm happy too," I say with a smile as I pull into my mom's driveway behind her car. "We're here, I apologize in advance for anything that goes wrong."

"I'm sure everything is going to be fine," he says with a smile. "Stop looking for trouble. It won't be that bad."

"You just don't know my mom," I say turning off the car. "But I can't wait to see my brother. It's been a long time since I've seen him. I actually miss him. I think you two will get along great."

"I hope so, I'm looking forward to meeting him," he says with a soft smile before he leans over and kisses my lips softly. "I love you."

"I love you too," I respond with a smile. "Well, let's do this," I say with a smile as I open my car door.

We make our way to my mom's front porch, I walk beside Joe as he holds my hand in his. I take the time to reminisce of my childhood spent in this house. I remember playing out in the woods with my brother Gunner and his friends every summer, catching fireflies, swimming in the creek and climbing the trees. "You see that tree right there," I say pointing to the tree in the front yard.

He turns and looks at the tree budding with leaves and says, "yeah."

"When I was 6 years old I was climbing that tree and I fell out of it and broke my arm. Then the following summer I broke my other arm by falling out of that tree."

"You didn't learn your lesson the first time?" he asks with a smile.

"Apparently not," I smile. "I played rough as a little girl. I was always playing in dirt and mud. I was always hanging with the boys. I was one of the boys. My mom wanted me to be a ballerina and a princess she never really got that. What she got was a softball playing, four-wheeling, not afraid to get dirty, spitting, tree-climbing, fishing, creek swimming, gymnastics loving tomboy. She always joked she ended up with two twin boys instead of a girl and a boy," I laugh.

"I never could picture you wearing a tutu or wearing princess gowns. The other stuff I can see. You have grown up to be a beautiful woman," he says making me smile as I ring the doorbell.

"Thank-you," I say with a smile.

The front door opens and I smile at my mom as I see her standing in front of us. She doesn't look like she has aged since the last time I saw her. Her hair dyed to a maroon red, her dark brown eyes glimmering with a smile as she sees me standing on her door step. "Willow," she says with happiness in her voice. "It's so good to see you," she says before pulling me into a tight hug.

"It's good to see you too, Mom," I say with a smile as I hug her back. She pulls away and looks me over. "How are you feeling today?"

"Better than I have been," she says with a smile. "My baby girl finally came to see me," she says making me feel bad. "It's been what 2 years since the last time you saw me?"

"Probably," I say, "I've been a little busy."

"Too busy for your Mama?" she asks.

"Training and working really keeps me busy. I'm sorry, Mama," I say. "I want you to meet someone, Mama."

"You could at least pick up the phone to call me once in a while. I like to know what's going on in your life. I even have that e-mail stuff and your brother just bought me a smartphone. I have one of those I-phones. I'm trying to figure it out but you could facetime me some time you know," she says.

"Mama, I want to introduce you to someone," I say again.

"And look at you," she says touching my face, "you're so beautiful. You got rid of all your beautiful red hair," she says ignoring me. "And you're hiding your freckles. You're so beautiful," she says. "It's hard to tell that you and your brother are fraternal twins other than your green eyes you look just alike. He's going to be so happy that you're here. I'm happy that you're here," she says.

"Mama, I'm happy to be here too but I really want you to meet someone."

"And what is this?" she asks grabbing my left hand and admiring my sapphire diamond engagement ring. "Is there a special man in your life? Are you engaged?"

"Yes, Mama, that's what I have been trying to tell you. I want you to meet my fiancée. Mama, this is Joe, Joe this is my mama," I say with a smile. "Joe and I are getting married around New Year's Day."

My mama's eyes go from me to Joe standing beside me. A smile grows on her face. "It's nice to meet you, Ms. Calaway," he says extending his hand.

"Please call me Janet," she says with a smile as she wraps him up in a hug taking him by surprise. "It's so nice to meet you. You're such a handsome man. You almost remind me of Willow's father when he was your age."

"Mama," I say, "that's weird don't say that."

"Well, he is a handsome man," she says with a smile making Joe smile. "Please come in!" she invites us in. "I made some sweet tea and I made your favorite peach pie, Willow," she says making me smile. "Please come in make yourselves comfortable. I'm so happy that my baby girl is here and with the man she's going to marry." She leads us inside and takes us to the living room. "Please have a seat, relax. I'll be right back. Joe, do you want some sweet tea, would you like some peach pie?"

"Please," he says with a smile as we take a seat on the couch. "Thank-you."

"You're very welcome," she says with a happy smile. She's glowing. "I'm so happy," she says as if our visit made her entire day. "Your brother is going to be so happy to see you. I'll be right back." She hurries out of the room before calling my brother downstairs leaving Joe and me alone in the living room.

"She seems happy to see us," he says, "how long has it been since you've seen her or talked to her."

"A while, you don't get it Joe, she's not usually this happy. We haven't really always seen eye to eye on things that happened in my life. She didn't want me to be a wrestler. She didn't want me to turn out like my dad. It pains her that I'm so much like him. It pains her that Gunner and I look so much like our dad. She's reminded constantly of her broken heart, despite the way the marriage ended I know she still loves my dad."

"I'm sure she does," he says as my brother walks into the living room. I stand up as soon as he enters the room.

"Gunner!" I yell as I run over to him and into his arms to give him a big hug. "I missed you. You have no idea how much I have missed you! How are you doing? How's the music business going?"

He hugs me back in a tight hug, we don't want to break it. We finally reluctantly break the hug and he answers my questions. "I missed you too," he says. "I'm doing pretty well and the music business is doing well," he says. "How's the wrestling business?"

"I'm on leave right now," I say. "I had an injury and now I'm taking some time off," I respond.

"I noticed that. How are you feeling about dad calling it quits at Mania?"

"I'm pretty sad about it," I say. "It's the end of a legacy you know? I understand why he's doing it. His body can't take too much more and he's ending it in Hell in A Cell. You know how brutal that match can get. I'm surprised he agreed to it."

"Me too, we have seen him in a lot of hellacious matches and Hell in A Cell is just one of them. I'm sure this is how he wants to go out."

"Me too," I say, "Are you going to the Hall of Fame Ceremony when he gets inducted into the Hall of Fame?"

"I wouldn't miss it and I have news for you," he says as Joe stands up and walks over to us. "I bought a studio in Tampa, I'll be moving to Tampa by the summer time."

"That's great!" I say, "we can see each other every day. I can't wait."

"Neither can I," he says with a smile.

"Gunner, I'm getting married, this is my fiancée Joe, Joe, this is my brother Gunner."

"Nice to meet you, Man," says Gunner as they shake hands.

"Nice to meet you too," says Joe as my mama makes her way back into the living room with a serving tray. "Do you need any help, Janet?" he offers.

"Thank-you, Sweetie," she says handing him the pitcher of freshly made sweet tea. I take the glasses from her as Gunner gets the plates. "Isn't it great, Gunner to have your sister back?"

"It's wonderful, Mama," he says with a smile. "She's been talking about you coming to visit for days now. She wants everything to be perfect. She made sure she made your favorite desert Peach Pie and made sure that she cooked your favorite dinner. She's very happy, Willow," he says.

"Thanks, Mama," I say with a smile.

She smiles at me before she pours us each a glass of sweet tea and then serves us with a piece of pie. She's not wrong I love peach pie. It is one of my favorites. It is like Heaven when I bite into the sweet taste of peaches and pie crust. She takes a seat on the chair across from us. "It's good, Mama."

"I'm glad," she says, "Joe what do you think?"

"It's delicious," he says with a smile. "Thank-you."

"So you two are getting married? That's wonderful, when's the wedding?"

"New Year's Day," I answer. "We decided to get married on New Year's Day it's like a new beginning."

"That sounds so beautiful. I'm free whenever you want to do some wedding planning," she says, "I can't believe my baby girl is getting married."

"Mama, about that, Mimi is actually going to help me with my wedding planning. It's nothing against you it's just with her living in Tampa, she's closer and we can get together more often to discuss wedding stuff so she's going to help me out with that."

"Oh," she says with disappointment. "You're my only little girl. I thought that we could plan this together."

"Mama, I'm sorry. I'm sure I can find something for you to do so that you're not left out."

"I will pay for your dress," she says. "Can I pay for your dress and be with you when you pick it out?"

"Mama, Dad is paying for the entire wedding including the dress but if it means a lot to you, you can be with me when I pick out my dress, I'll fly you out to Tampa and we can go dress shopping."

"So I just get to be with you when you pick out your dress? I don't get to do anything else? That's it. You're my daughter, Willow."

"I know, Mama. I'll find something for you I promise, okay?"

"Okay, Sweetie," she says. "You know, looking at you I see you're putting on some weight. How is that working with your wrestling?"

"About wrestling, I'm kind of on a break right now. I got injured a few months back, I tore my ACL and had to get surgery but then something else came up so I am on leave right now."

"Willow," she pleads for information.

"Well, I guess we should tell you now. Joe and I are pregnant," I say with a smile.

"What?" she asks with excitement. "You two are having a baby! You're giving me a grandchild?"

"Yes, Mama," I say with a smile. "I'm due in September."

"Congratulations. I'm so excited! A baby!"

"Thank-you," I say with a smile. "We're pretty happy about it."

"Does this mean you're done with wrestling?"

"I'm not sure. I'll know after I have the baby," I say.

"Please let me plan your baby shower," she begs. "We can do a blue or pink theme depending on what you're having."

"Actually, Joe and I aren't finding out the sex. We want to be surprised."

"How will people know what to get you for the baby if you don't know if it's a girl or boy?"

"Gender neutral clothes," I say. "And you know I don't like the color pink to start with so I will be asking everyone to refrain from stereotyping my daughter if I have one by dressing her in pink, wrapping her in pink and all that other stuff. I don't want gender roles to play a part in any of my children's lives. If anything I am hoping for a boy."

"A boy?" she asks.

"Yes, a boy. I want a boy more than anything," I answer.

` "Why?"

"I don't know. Joe already has a little girl so I think it would be perfect if we had a boy and besides I want a boy more because I think a boy will be easier than a girl."

"I see," she says. "Joe, you have a daughter?"

"From a previous relationship," he answers, "her name is Alani and she's 8 years old. My ex and I share custody."

"That's wonderful," she says with a smile. "So how did you two end up getting pregnant?"

"Mama," I say. "I think you are well aware of how a woman becomes pregnant. I don't think we need to discuss it."

"Were you not being careful?"

"Mama," I say, "for your information we were being careful, luck just wasn't on our side. Birth control can fail a person it's fine. Life happens," I say. "I'm happy about it no matter how surprising it is."

"I'm glad that you're happy. Do you have any names picked out?"

"Yes we do actually," I say. "But we aren't sharing them because we don't want anyone judging our names or trying to sway us to name our baby something else. We're happy with our name choices and we're keeping them a secret."

"You're no fun, you won't find out the sex or share baby names."

"Because our life as a family is private, Mama, we want to do things our way not the way everyone else wants us to," I say as Joe sits quietly.

"I just think that you should share your baby names and share the sex of your baby."

"We want the surprise of finding out when it is born and the names we have picked are special to both of us. We don't want anyone tearing them apart or being judgmental. Please understand."

"You know what would be wonderful," she says. "Joe, you and I should have lunch tomorrow."

"Mama, I don't know," I say.

"It will be fun, I want to get to know Joe better. Joe, let's have lunch tomorrow."

"Okay," he responds. "I'd love to have lunch with you."

"It's going to be wonderful," says my mom with a smile. "I'm looking forward to it."

"And Willow, while Mama and Joe have lunch together, maybe you and I could have lunch together to get caught up. How does that sound?"

"That sounds wonderful," I say with a smile, but still uncomfortable with my mom having lunch alone with Joe. I don't like the idea. I sit the rest of the afternoon thinking of everything that could go wrong at their lunch.

 ***A/N: What do you think of Willow's mom? What do you think of Willow's relationship with her mom? Were you surprised Willow took Joe to meet her? What did you think of Willow not wanting to include her mom in wedding planning? Do you think that her mom's feelings are hurt? What do you think of their decision not to share baby names or find out the sex? Do you think it's better that way? How do you think Joe's lunch is going to go with Willow's mom? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	47. Chapter 47

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

 ***Sorry it's taking me a while to update, I have been sick and life is busy. I'm going to try harder***

Despite my anxiety of having lunch alone with Willow's mom we arrive at a nice little restaurant in Franklin, Tennessee. The car ride was done in mostly silence because I didn't know what to say as she drove us to the restaurant. It was an awkward car ride and I could feel the tension between us. Willow warned me the night before that lunch with her mom could be intense because she doesn't know her intentions. She either wants to have lunch with me to get to know me or she wants to do some digging into my life or she wants to intimidate me when it comes to my relationship with Willow. I didn't think anything negative of her but I understand Willow's reasons for being distant with her mom. Being here has Willow uncomfortable and moody. I could not be ready to leave sooner than I am now so that she can relax again and take it easy for the baby.

We get out of the car and make our way to the doors of the restaurant. I hold the door open for her mom before I follow her inside. The hostess takes us to our table right away and as she lays the menus on the table I pull out Janet's chair for her. "Thank-you," she says as she takes a seat. "You're quite the gentleman, no wonder my daughter likes you so much. You don't see many of those anymore."

"I believe in treating a lady with respect. There's nothing wrong with holding doors and pulling out chairs," I say as I look over my menu.

"No there is nothing wrong with that," she says before the waiter comes over to introduce himself and take our drink orders before heading to the back. "You're a wrestler too?"

"Yes, Ma'am," I answer. "I have been a wrestler for few years now and in WWE for 4 years."

"So you weren't always going to be a wrestler?" she asks.

"No, I actually went to college on a football scholarship. I wanted to play with the NFL but that didn't work out for me in the long run. I made it through college on my team but when the draft happened I went undrafted. I played for a couple NFL teams but that didn't last long. Shortly after my dreams of being in the NFL came crashing down I found out that my long-term girlfriend was pregnant."

"I see," she says. "So you got your long-term girlfriend pregnant?"

"Yes, it wasn't planned but it just happened. It was a surprise for both of us. I needed to figure out something to do. The first year with our daughter was complicated. I was working some dead end 9-5 jobs not making the money I needed to provide for her and her mother. I had a choice to make. I was either going to stick it out at a 9-5 job living paycheck to paycheck, eating government cheese and using my foodstamps not knowing if I could buy my daughter diapers from one day till the next or taking a job in the wrestling business knowing I could pay the bills, put food on the table and know that my daughter would be provided for. I chose the latter because I couldn't live my life in uncertainty and I had to know my daughter had everything she needed."

"Sounds like you're a good man," she says, "so you have a daughter with another woman? How is that relationship with your daughter and the relationship with her mother?" she asks as the waiter brings our drinks before taking our order.

"Yes I have a daughter with my college sweetheart," I respond, "she is 8 years old and her name is Alani. She is my entire world. There is nothing in this world I wouldn't do for her. I would move mountains for her. I get her every week for a couple days. She just moved to Florida to be closer to me. We are very close she is a daddy's girl. As for her mother we co-parent well. We never had to go to court to make an agreement on custody or visitation. We work together to be parents. We get along well for Alani so she can see that just because we aren't together anymore doesn't mean we can't get along. Her mother and I have a decent relationship and we're friends."

"That's good," she says, "As you know Willow's father and me don't get along."

"I heard."

"There was no in-between, trying to be friends with us. When we divorced the only communication we had was about our children. We went to court about custody and visitation. It was an ugly divorce and an ugly custody battle. I got custody but when Willow was 12 she chose to live with her father and his wife. Willow and I have a rocky relationship."

"I noticed," I say trying not to pry.

"I love her, Joe. We just don't see eye to eye on her life choices. I think a beautiful girl like her should have done something other than wrestling."

"She loves wrestling," I say, "in fact she's struggling with the fact that she may not ever go back to the ring. She would love to but with the baby she doesn't know what she wants to do. I would love to see her continue living her dream but it's her choice on what she wants to do."

"I believe that Willow should be home with the baby. I'm not a fan of the wrestling lifestyle especially the fact my daughter is marrying a wrestler. I would have thought she learned her lesson after her father and I divorced. Being married to a wrestler is pretty much a single marriage. You're in it for yourself. Your partner is away 95% of the time. I don't want my daughter to be hurt the way I was hurt by her father. You know her father had an affair? He was out on the road so much that he just started sleeping with other women."

"I didn't know that," I say uncomfortably. "But you don't have to worry about me. I love your daughter. Just like Alani Willow is my world. I would never do anything to hurt her. I would never cheat on her or have an affair. I'm not that kind of man and I like to consider myself a family man. My family comes first. I have this job because I want my family to be taken care of. I would never be the man to cheat on my wife. My father and my mother raised me better than to be that type of man."

"That's good to hear," she says as the waiter brings our food. "I would hate to see my daughter hurt. She truly loves you, Joe. You seem to make her happy. I always knew she was going to marry a man that was just like her father."

"I'm not like her father," I say.

"You remind me of him in many ways. The dedication you have to your child, the dedication you have to the business, you even look like he did when he was younger. You two fit well together because Willow is like her father in so many ways. I am jealous of their relationship. She idolizes her father and they are very close to one another. I envy that. I wish that Willow could be that close to me. It hurts my feelings knowing that she loves her father more than me and that they are closer to each other than we are," she says as we eat.

"I'm sure she doesn't love either of you more than the other. Willow and her dad have this bond with one another, it's a special bond but I don't think that means she loves her father more than you."

"Yes it does, Joe," she says. "I was sick while she was growing up, physically and mentally. I had a drug addiction that destroyed our relationship, I was depressed most of the time she was growing up and the depression and drug use tore my body apart physically. I was always in too much pain to be a good mother to her. I gave up spending time with both my children to get my next fix or to spend the days in bed. I didn't have time to be a mom, I was too busy being a drug addict and being depressed. I missed so many days with her."

"I am sure she understands that," I say.

"I just regret some of my choices I made as a mother. I wish I could go back and do them again. I would be a better mother this time. She's probably never going to let me see my grandchild or let me have any type of relationship with him or her. I don't blame her," she says, "I made a mess of things, I made a mess of my life and she has every right to hate me for it. I just want to try again but she isn't willing to give me the chance. She's not willing to let me prove to her that I can be a better mother. It hurts to know she hasn't even included me in her wedding planning. I am her mother. I should be helping her with wedding plans and helping her with all the wedding details but she chose Michelle. I understand. It just hurts me that she didn't even think about telling me about your engagement until now or ask if I could help her with the wedding. I am sure her dad will pay for a big elaborate wedding and everything will be very special. I just wish I had a bigger part in it but I understand," she says making me feel guilty. I hate to see that she feels excluded but everything is Willow's choice.

"Maybe you should talk to Willow. Maybe you two need to sit down and make things right. You need to tell Willow how you feel and go from there. I can't make her involve you more in the wedding only you can do that. Only you can talk to her and make her see how much it hurts that you weren't included. If I say something to her she's going to get upset. It's better to come from you than me."

"I don't even know where I would start. I love her, Joe and I just want her to be happy. I don't want to upset her. My feelings are hurt that she doesn't include me in much of her life. I want to have a bigger part in her life. I want to be a part of your child's life. I want to be a Mimaw with Gunner moving to Florida soon I will have no one literally. Willow is my only girl. I had dreams of her wedding day, getting her ready for her wedding that we planned together when I gave up my life as a mother to do drugs and stay in bed all day I gave up my daughter as she started to bond with Mark's new wife and she started to see what a true mother does."

"You can't keep beating yourself up about this. You need to talk to Willow and work this out with her," I say.

"I'll try," she says as we continue to eat our meal. "You know, I see why Willow loves you. You're a good man. I can tell that you make her very happy. I'm happy for that. I'm glad she found a man like you. I'm sure you two are going to be very happy together."

"I hope so and thank-you," I say with a smile.

After we have lunch together, which didn't turn out so bad I actually had a good time with her mom. We did some more talking and I explained to her how I proposed to Willow and how we met, we go back to her house. I make my way upstairs to the room Willow and I are staying in. "Hey," I say as I walk into the room seeing her on the bed reading a book.

"Hey, Baby," she says with a smile as she closes the book. She gets up to greet me but I stop her.

"You don't have to get up," I say as I make my way over to the bed. I climb in next to her and wrap her up in my arms. I kiss the top of her head. "What are you reading?"

"The Great Gatsby," she says with a smile. "How was lunch with my mama? I see you managed to make it out alive," she says with amusement.

"It really wasn't that bad. I enjoyed myself. Your mom is good peoples."

"Wow, I'm surprised."

"She loves you, Willow and she only wants the best for you. I have to agree with her on that. You deserve nothing but the best in life. She cares that you get it."

"I know but she was hardly there when I grew up," she says.

"Your dad was hardly there either," I say, "but you don't treat him the way that you treat your mom. She's trying Willow. I think you need to talk to her before we leave tomorrow. I think you two need to hash everything out with one another."

"Did she tell you that?"

"No what she told me is that she's very hurt that you didn't include her in your wedding plans. I think she wants to do that with you," I say.

"She lives here in Tennessee. I live in Florida what is she going to do fly out every weekend to do wedding plans with me? I didn't exclude her. I told her she could come with me for my wedding dress," she says. "I'm not excluding her. I'm only doing what's easiest for me when it comes to working on the wedding. That's why I didn't select her but if it makes you feel better I will talk to her."

"That's all I ask. She truly loves you, Willow."

"I know she does and I love her, she just overwhelms me. She's just going to be even more upset over this wedding thing because I'm not changing my mind. I'm still going to have Michelle and my maid of honor work with me on planning the wedding. She has dibs on the baby shower but the wedding stuff is not up to her. I want everything to go smoothly. My mama and I don't see eye to eye on things. I don't want her to think this is all about what she wants and not about what I want. It's my wedding. I don't want to spend time dealing with drama."

"Her feelings are hurt, Willow. Do you care about that?"

"Of course I care but being pregnant I don't want wedding stress," she says. "I don't want drama for something that is supposed to be the happiest day of my life."

"I understand," I say as I run my fingers through her hair. "I want you to be happy. Honestly I don't care about what happens at this wedding. The only thing I care about is that I am marrying the woman that I love. That makes it the happiest day of my life. I don't need it to be extravagant. We could just get married in sweatpants at the courthouse and I would be happy."

"You know what," she says. "You make a good point. Let's do it," she says.

"Do what?" I ask.

"Get married, we don't need a bunch of people around."

"What are you saying, Willow?"

"I'm saying I'm going to marry you!"

"When?"

"Joe, you make the plans. We'll get back to Florida, take Alani, we can get married in the Cayman Islands my father owns property there. We can get married on the beach, you me and have Alani there it would be just the three of us. What do you think?"

"Are you sure? Do you want your father there? Are you sure, Willow? I know you have dreams of this big elaborate wedding."

"Correction, Joe, I have dreams of marrying the man that I love and marrying the man that will make me happy the rest of my life, I have dreams of marrying you. I don't care how I marry you. I just want to marry you. Let's do this. I can get a dress and we can be in the Cayman Islands this weekend and we can get married. Let's do this, Baby."

I smile at her childlike joy, the excitement in her green eyes and kiss her lips softly, passionately. "Let's do this," I say with a smile. "Nothing will make me happier than making you my wife this weekend."

"I love you, Joe."

"I love you too," I say with a smile before she kisses my lips softly. "And you'll talk to your mom?"

"Yes, Joe," she says, "I'll talk to her and I'll let her come with me to find a dress for our wedding this weekend. How does that sound?"

"Perfect," I say with a smile before I take the book from her hands and place it on the night stand before kissing her once more and lying her back on the bed, covering her body with mine. "You're going to make me so happy."

"You already make me happy," she says wrapping her arms around my neck before we share another passionate kiss.

 **A/N: What did you think of Joe's lunch with Willow's mom? Do you think Willow's mom was laying a guilt trip on Joe or do you think she was sincere? What are your thoughts on Willow talking to her mom? Do you think it will go well? What do you think about Willow and Joe going to elope? Do you think that's a good idea? Will Willow regret it? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	48. Chapter 48

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter they were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

"That's all you're going to eat today?" asks my mama as we are having lunch together and I pour dressing onto my chicken Ceasar salad.

"Yes, mama," I respond.

"You're pregnant, Willow, you should be eating a lot more than just a salad. You need to think of your baby and you need to think about what is healthiest for you baby. Eating a simple salad is not enough. You need to eat bigger meals," she suggests.

"Actually, Mama, I'm just fine eating this salad. I have had bad morning sickness most of the pregnancy. My doctor told me not to overeat. I can only eat what I can handle. It's gotten better but sometimes I still get nauseous. I'm fine I promise."

"How do you expect the baby to grow if you eat little salads?"

"Mama," I warn, "I'm fine. The goal is to limit myself on what I'm eating. In fact salads are very healthy for me to eat rather than fried foods and fattening foods. I'm trying to stay healthy during this pregnancy which means grilled foods, salads, organic foods and all sorts of healthy foods. I don't want to put on too much weight."

"And what about when you get your cravings for more? Are you going to ignore them?"

"No," I answer. "To be honest what I'm going to do is limit myself, there is nothing wrong with eating potato chips or having some type of burrito as long as I limit my intake. I don't want to put on a lot of weight and I want to stay healthy."

"You're your father's daughter," she says, "your father is into eating that healthy stuff. He wasn't into it when we were married."

"Mama, Dad is getting older. He thought when he was younger he could eat anything he wished and be okay. The problem with that is that in our line of work he can't over eat and eat a lot of junk food. He has to maintain a good weight, a good body and more importantly good bones and a good heart. He doesn't want to be prone to a heart attack."

"I'm sure he doesn't but the way you two just eat healthy and balance your meals worries me. You have always worried me with your eating habits. Ever since you were a little girl you were weary about eating candy and junk food. You barely ate some days. I was always worried about your eating habits."

"And I turned out okay didn't I? Children don't need to fill up on candy and junk food," I respond. "I'm surely not giving my child a lot of candy or junk food."

"You grew up just fine when you ate it."

"Times change," I say as I dig into my salad.

She shakes her head and responds, "you're going to be one of those mamas that Michelle is; aren't you?"

"What is your problem with Michelle? I think she does an exceptional job with Kaia and besides what does it matter how a parent raises their child as long as the child is healthy, loved and taken care of? Everyone parents differently, Mama. You did things Michelle wouldn't do and she does things you wouldn't do. No one is going to have the same like parenting style."

"What are you going to do for work, Willow? Are you getting back in the ring or staying home with the baby?"

"I haven't decided yet. Mark told me he would let me out of my contract at any time I wish if I feel I don't want to get back in the ring. We have to see how things go when the baby gets here then I'll decide and right now I am keeping myself in shape by doing yoga, light weight lifting and eating healthy so that it's easier for me to get back into shape after I have the baby if I should decide to get back into the ring."

"I would love to see you use your teaching degree. You love kids, Willow. Why don't you do that?"

"And I love wrestling. We'll see. Joe told me to have lunch with you, spend the day with you but you're judging every decision I make about myself and my child. I don't like it. That's part of the reason you and I don't get along not because I don't like you or not because of whatever reason you have inside of your head. It's because you always try to control what I do, you try to tell me what to do instead of making the decisions for myself. I am 25 years old. I think I am capable of knowing what's best for me and for my baby."

"I'm sorry, Willow. I don't mean to cause you any stress. It's just that I want what's best for you."

"What's best for me, Mama is letting me make my decisions myself. And I know you're upset about the entire wedding fiasco. I understand your feelings and I'm sorry. I'm not trying to shut you out or keep you from being a part of the wedding. It's just I know with your moods and your mental issues that sometimes you don't even feel like getting out of bed in the morning and sometimes you're nervous about traveling places you've never been before. I understand that. I'm not trying to exclude you from my wedding planning I promise. It's just you live here in Tennessee and we live in Tampa to do most of the planning you would have to come to Tampa to help out. I didn't want to push that on you but today you and I are going shopping for a wedding dress."

"We are? I thought that you weren't getting married until December?"

"Sometimes things change. I want to do this with you before I go back to Tampa or go back on the road with Joe."

"That would be wonderful, Willow," she says with a smile.

"I knew you would enjoy it," I say with a smile.

"So you and Joe live together in Tampa?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"How did your father feel about that bit of news?"

"I think he was expecting it because I was either always at Joe's or he was at my apartment. Then we were always traveling together and always staying in the same hotel together so why not? We decided to move in together. Everything in the last year not even a year has gone so fast. I can't even believe how fast everything has gone. It's like a whirlwind."

"I'm sure," she says with a smile, "but when you know you love someone you know you love them."

"I almost lost Joe because I was selfish, let's just say I was not happy to be pregnant and to have to give up my career. We had a pretty big fight about it. We worked things out but it was like I couldn't see my life without him in it. I wanted him to be there with me every day, watching our child grow up and being a family. That's what I wanted. I grew up in a broken home. I didn't want that for my child but I also didn't want to see Joe with anyone else and I couldn't see myself with anyone else. I love him, Mama. He is a great guy. He's caring, loving, good looking, intelligent. He's everything I ever hoped for in a man. And you should see him with his daughter it is heart-melting. He's an amazing guy. I ask myself every day how I got to be so lucky to have him in my life. I'll never understand but I am grateful and blessed by God to have him in my life."

"I'm glad that he makes you happy," she says with a smile. "If your father and I could ever agree on one thing it was that you find a man that will treat you like a Queen and respect you as well as seeing you happy. That's all we have ever wanted for you in this life," she says making me smile.

"I'm sorry, Mama. I'm sorry that we don't keep in touch like we should. I want to do better with that."

"Me too, Baby Girl," she says with a smile, "besides I need to know when you deliver that precious grandbaby of mine. I will fly out to Tampa the minute it's born to come visit you and Joe and of course my grandbaby. I'm happy."

"I'm glad that you're happy. I'm happy too," I say with a smile as I eat my salad.

"I'm sorry, Willow," she says.

"For what?"

"For not being the best mama that I could be, there were times I should have been there but I wasn't and there should have been times I was there. I'm sorry, Willow. I wish I could get those times back but I know that I can't."

"Mama, it's okay," I say taking my mama's hand. "I forgive you. I know that you were sick and that you couldn't help it. It hurt but, Mama it's in the past. We can focus on the now. I worry about one thing and that's today, not yesterday and not tomorrow. I live for this day, this moment. There's no sense in being upset in something that you can't change and something that happened yesterday because there is no going back. Just like there is no reason to worry about the future. You never know if tomorrow is going to come, what you do is know that today is here and that's the moment you're living in. No regrets and no hopes it's all about today," I say with a smile. "I forgive you, Mama."

"I love you, Willow," she says for the first time in a while. The tears well in my eyes and the lump forms in my throat to a painful size, I want to cry, I want to sob at her words but I hold myself together.

"I love you too," I say with a soft smile before I get up to hug her as she hugs me back. I cannot remember a time when my mama told me she loved me or remember a time I felt this good being in her presence something was changing, something was different maybe it was her or maybe it was me. I don't know for sure but what I do know there was something different between us that I can't describe and for now I was going to enjoy it.

After we finish having lunch my mama and I go to a bridal store in town to look for wedding dresses. I don't want to tell her that Joe and I are planning to get married in the Cayman Islands this coming weekend because that would upset her. We aren't even telling my dad until after it happens. We want it to just be the three of us on the islands and have a private ceremony where we don't have to worry about paparazzi following us or anyone following us to get pictures. No one will know about it until after it happens. I prefer it that way and Joe does as well.

"I love this one," I say as I skim through the racks of beautiful white dresses. I pull it from the hanger and show my mama. "What do you think?"

"I think it's beautiful," she says with a smile. "I think you will look beautiful in that dress."

"I love the lace," I say with a smile as I run my hand over the beaded lace work on the chest. "I'm going to try it on."

"Okay," she says as I make my way to the fitting room. I step inside and take the dress off of its hanger and slip out of my clothes. I slide the dress on and pull it up the front. I ask for assistance from the girl working at the shop to help me zipper my dress. She steps out of the fitting room as I look at myself in the mirror. It is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen. I smile as I look at myself in the mirror. It's the most perfect dress I have ever seen. My fiery red hair cascades over my shoulders making it look even better as the natural curls fall into place.

I step out of the fitting room and show my mama. "Mama," I say as she's looking at a magazine. She looks up at me with her brown eyes and smiles as the tears form in her eyes. "What do you think?" I ask.

"Willow," she says as she stands up. "You look beautiful. You look absolutely beautiful. You're breathtaking."

"Mama, do you think it fits all right? Do you think it's good enough to get married in?"

"Willow, I think it is the perfect dress for you. I love it. You look beautiful in it. When Joe sees you walking down the aisle in your dress he is going to love it. You're going to take his breath away," she says as she fluffs the bottom out for me. "How are you wearing your hair? Are you leaving it like this?"

"I don't know. Probably, I think it's the hair that helps set it off," I say, "what do you think?"

"I think that part of it pulled up would be beautiful but I love your natural curls so leave some of them down. And you could put the veil on right over the top of a bun or something," she says.

"I wasn't going to wear a veil. We will be exchanging leis and such. I was thinking of wearing a flower halo in my hair the day I get married. I'm following Joe's family traditions."

"That would be lovely," she says with a smile. "You look radiant," she says before she starts to cry.

"Mama," I say.

"I can't help it, Willow, you just look so beautiful. I don't know what to say. You're all grown up. You're going to be a mother and you're going to be a bride. It doesn't seem real. It's like you were just a baby yesterday," she says dabbing her eyes with the tissue she was handed by the sales girl. "Any idea where you're going to get married yet?"

"We have an idea," I say with a smile as I admire myself in the mirror. I couldn't have chosen a better dress. "I want this dress," I say to the girl. "And I'm going to buy it today."

"That dress is $2500," she says, "and what about alterations?"

"I think it fits perfectly. I don't need any alterations done and yes I know the cost of the dress. I can handle the expense," I say with a smile.

"Very well," she says before I go back into the fitting room to change out of my dress. She brings me a garment bag and helps to put the dress in it before I walk around to find some jewelry to wear the day of the wedding and beaded thongs for my feet since we will be marrying in the sand on a private beach in the Cayman Islands. I would be lying if I said I wasn't getting excited or that my stomach was filled with butterflies. I have never been more anxious and more excited for anything in my life besides getting into the ring for the first time. This is different though, I am marrying my child's father, the man that I love and know I will never be able to live without. I'm ready to say I do and have my forever with him.

I walk into the bedroom I am sharing with Joe after we get back from the bridal shop, my dress is hidden in the black garment bag so he cannot see it until the day I walk down the aisle. "Hey, Beautiful," he says with a smile as he is packing up our suitcases. "How was your day with your Mama?"

"Surprisingly it was very pleasant. Everything is good now. I'm going to stay in touch with her more. How was your day?"

"Busy, I talked to your dad. I told him that I wanted to take you away this weekend. I asked him if we could use his private beach area in the Cayman Islands. He was more than willing to allow us a weekend there. After that he offered me the private plane for us to travel on so we don't have to worry about buying plane tickets and it can take us closer to the beach than the airport would. I called and got us a minister, I ordered us leis and flowers. I hope you don't mind. I invited Dean and Renee to come with us. We need witnesses. I figured that Renee could stand as your maid of honor and Dean as my best man."

"That works for me," I say with a smile. "I got my dress."

"Did you? Can I see it?"

"Not until this weekend," I say with a teasing smile.

"I also got our rings," he says. "I have everything together. We're going to have a small celebration afterward and everything is going to be private."

"That's what we're going for," I say as I lay my dress down on the bed and go to him wrapping my arms around his waist. "I want it to be private. I want this to be a special moment for us."

"Me too," he says wrapping his arms around me and kissing the top of my head. "You're not unsure of this, or worried about getting married without your dad?"

"I'm positive. It's for you and I to enjoy. My dad is probably going to be pissed we didn't include him but it's time we do stuff for ourselves you know? I know it's going to break his heart but I want him in the delivery room with me when our baby is born. I think that will make up for that."

"Whatever you want, Willow. I'm just happy we are getting married. After Saturday you're going to be Mrs. Anoa'i."

"I can't wait," I say with a smile as I look up at him with a smile. "You make me happy you know that. Happier than anyone else has ever done before."

"I'm glad," he says before he leans down and kisses my lips softly. "You make me happy too. I'm excited to spend the rest of my life with you by my side, raising our children together, loving one another till the day that we die. You make my life complete."

"You do the same to me, Stud," I say with a joking smile.

"Stud huh?"

"Yes, Stud, my stud," I say with a smile.

"Your stud forever, Babe," he says before we share a soft passionate kiss. "I love you, Willow."

"I love you too," I say with a soft smile. "I guess we should get to packing since we leave in the morning. This has been a good trip. A lot better than I had expected and I'm happy everything has worked out with my mama."

"Me too," he says with a smile before we get back to packing our things. I am one of the luckiest women alive in this world to have this man to be my soon to be husband. Normally, elopement to many is so cliché but for me it is the most romantic thing in the world. Saturday cannot come fast enough.

 ***A/N: What did you think of Willow and her mom having lunch together? Are you happy they worked everything out? What about Willow including her mom in the wedding dress shopping? Do you agree with Willow and Joe keeping their wedding a secret from their families? What do you think of them going to elope, do you think Willow will go with it or will she chicken out? Please review and thank-you for reading.**


	49. Chapter 49

***Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much***

"You know you still have time to back out of this," says Dean as I straighten my coral tie that goes to my suit. I give a small smirk. "You really don't have to do this," he says.

"I want to do this," I respond. "I am ready to marry Willow."

"Just a few weeks ago you weren't sure you wanted to be with her and you weren't sure if you wanted to have a life with her now all of a sudden you're ready to vow the rest of your life to her. Are you 100% sure you're ready to get married?"

"I have never been surer of anything in my entire life," I say with a smile. "I know what I'm doing, Jon. I know that I'm probably marrying the most complicated woman on this planet but I like complicated and I love her more than anything in this world well not more than Alani but I love her more than anything after Alani."

"As long as you're sure this is what you want to do," he says.

"I told you I'm sure, Dean. I have never been more sure of anything in my entire life. I love Willow. I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I want to be a family."

"You're not worried about Taker's wrath?"

"I'm sure her father will be upset but this is what we want to do. We want to have a private wedding that is special to us opposed to a big wedding ceremony with a lot of people. We are doing this for us," I respond.

"Well," he says putting the tropical flower into my pocket. "I wish you two a lifetime of happiness and bliss. I just never thought that you would be the first one to get married out of The Shield. You had your moments of sleeping around with different women, why Willow? Why was she the one you chose?" he asks.

"There's something special about her. She's not like all the women I have slept with or been with. She's different."

"She was the challenge," he says with a smile. "She wasn't like all the women that threw themselves at you, gave themselves to you so easily. She made you work, she challenged you."

"That and she's beautiful, she's smart and she is a talented wrestler. She's my best friend," I say with a smile. "I'm glad she did challenge me," I nod. "It was all worth it, she is worth it," I say with a smile.

"You nervous about this?"

"No, not at all. I'm ready to start my life with her. We already live together, we are having a baby together. There is no point in waiting anymore."

"I'm happy for you," he says with a smile as he places a hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks," I say with a smile. "I'm ready to do this."

"Let's go get you married," he says with a supporting smile as I look at myself in the mirror. I didn't pick a normal choice of beach wedding attire and chose to wear a tux and a tie with my hair pulled up into a low bun. I can imagine how hot it is going to be standing in the sun as we marry one another but it will be worth it.

Dean and I make our way to the beautiful private beach that is backyard to Willow's father's beach house. It's quiet and peaceful as well as breathtaking. We make our way off the wrap around porch and onto the white sand. The flower decorated arch is standing between the sand and the ocean. We make our way down the white cloth on the sand and we join the priest as he stands ready to join Willow and I in our lives together forever. I give him a smile as he smiles back at me. My palms sweat as the ocean breeze hits me and the waves of the blue green water crash down in the distance. The smell of tropical flowers fill the air as I stand in the circle of purple and pink tropical flowers symbolizing mine and Willow's unbreakable bond, my heart races as I wait for my bride to make her way down the aisle to become my wife for eternity. I hear the soft sound of island music playing as Willow's maid of honor Renee makes her way down the aisle. I can't see her as she approaches but as she takes her place on the far side of me I can see her dressed in a beautiful coral halter dress with a crown of coral flowers around her head. My little girl makes her way down the aisle next as she lays beautiful coral and pink flower petals on the white cloth. She takes her place next to Renee reminding me of an island girl. Her raven colored hair curled and falling to her shoulder blades as she stands in a white dress with a flowing tutu skirt and a flower on the side and a white flower in her hair holding it back from her face as she stands holding the basket in her hands.

Alani is my first glimpse of true love at first sight. The moment I saw her born I fell in love with her. She was the most perfect creation, perfect in every way; a head full of raven black hair, her pouty pink lips, her dark brown eyes, I was in love with her and since she came into my life I never loved anyone or anything as much as I love her. She has held my heart entirely since that cool November morning. I give my daughter a soft smile as the conch shell sounds out calling the earth, sea and air to witness my union with Willow. I take a deep breath and turn to face Willow. My entire world stops, the breath stolen from my chest as I see her standing at the end of the aisle holding a bouquet of coral and pink flowers, her red hair flowing in the cool breeze bouncing off the ocean, my grey eyes meet her green eyes as she stands at the end of the aisle in a beautiful white strapless dress made of a lace overlay. I have never seen something more beautiful. Tears burn my eyes as she makes her way down the aisle as the soft island music begins to play. Dean places his hand on my shoulder and whispers into my ear, "you're a lucky man," he says before patting me on the shoulder. I smile as the tears continue to fill my eyes as I watch my future walk down the aisle as she carries our child inside of her. Willow is my second glimpse of true love at first sight. I never believed I could fall in love with someone just by sight but Willow as original and unique as she is made me see that love at first sight does exist. The first time I saw her in that gym I knew she was the one. I knew she was the one I was meant to spend to rest of my life with. Every challenge, every time she told me no made me more determined to be with her. It was well worth it because the outcome was beautiful.

Willow joins me at the altar as the priest blesses us in my language and says a prayer before welcoming everyone to watch us join each other in holy matrimony. I wipe the tears from my eyes as the priest holds up two leis for us one decorated with tropical flowers and the other made of leaves and white flowers from my native country. "At this time will Joe and Willow exchange leis as a welcome and a symbol of their commitment and love to one another, like the lei is crafted with the beautiful flowers of the island and crafted with love, it too is a symbol of the love and dedication Joe and Willow have for one another." He hands me the lei made of tropical flowers and I place it over Willow's head and kiss her cheek before she does the same with the lei leaf for me and kisses my cheek. The priest then hands us each a lei to give to Alani before he has her give us each a lei. It is a way for Alani to welcome Willow into our family and show her love and respect for her as is the lei Willow gives to Alani to show she welcomes her and she loves her.

The priest explains to us about love and how important love is but that a marriage is based not only on love but faith, trust and commitment. "At this time Joe and Willow I understand that you two wanted to state your own vows to one another?"

"Yes," I say with a smile.

"Joe, at this time please state your vows to Willow," he instructs me.

I take Willow's small hands into mine as the waves continue to crash down behind us and look into her green eyes. "Willow, the moment I saw you I fell in love. I didn't believe that it would be so easy to fall in love with someone but when I met you that changed everything. I learned Wuthering Heights just for you because I knew I wasn't your type of guy. You made me challenge myself to get a date with you but in the end every time you told me no and every challenge you put me through was worth it. Everything in the last year has gone so fast and everyone thinks we are moving too fast but I don't think that at all. I think we are moving with where life is guiding us. My heart beats for you. I have never loved anyone the way that I love you. We have created life together and I want to start a life with you that lasts forever calling you my wife. Every morning waking up to you in my arms is like heaven and falling asleep with you in my arms every night is all I ever wanted. I want to do it the rest of my life. You're one of the smartest and most beautiful women that I know. You're everything to me. You're my life. The way you accept and welcome Alani into your life melts my heart. I know that when the time comes you will be a great mother to the life we created from our love. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, loving you, honoring you being committed to you and only you, Willow. You are the best thing to happen to me in the last year and I have loved every moment of our time together. I want that the rest of our lives. I promise myself to you, to love you every day, fall in love with you more every day and give you the world. I promise you can trust me and promise that I will never look at another woman again the way I look at you. You're my everything, Willow and I love you forever and always," I say with a smile as tears burn in my eyes as I see the tears welling up in her beautiful green eyes.

"Willow, please state your vows to Joe," the priest instructs.

I feel a soft squeeze of my hand as Willow gives me a soft smile before she starts to speak, "I have spent a good deal of my life reading romance novels, falling in love with literary heroes and literary princes. I have spent my life hoping for my own love story with a man that makes me his world, makes my life better, my own hero and the day I met you is the day my love story began. The first time I saw you in the gym as much as I played hard to get you already had me. My heart was already yours. I didn't want to be like other girls, other women that fell at your feet. I wanted you to be challenged, I wanted you to prove to me that there was nothing that you wouldn't do for me, to be honest I thought you would give up the first time I said no but you surprised me by learning Shakesphere and reading Wuthering Heights. It showed me something, it showed me that you cared about me, that it was important to you. We haven't had a perfect relationship and we have had our ups and downs but the way I love you and the way you love me is perfect. I almost lost you and I was sick over it. I can never picture my life without you, Joe. I want to be your wife, spend every day with you, raise a family together, support each other. I want that. I want my own love story with my own literary hero. You're my literary hero in our love story. You're everything to me. You're my best friend and the love of my life. You and I created a beautiful life together and I can't wait to meet him or her. You understand me when no one else does. Before there was you I never wanted marriage, I never wanted children but after you I wanted it all with you. We have had our tough times but we have had a good times too, the bad times make the good times better. I cherish you every day of my life. I promise to love you forever, to support you in every way that I can. I promise that even when life gets tough or things get bad, I promise I will be there no matter what. I promise my life to you, Joe. I love you more than words could ever say. I want to be your everything like the Keith Urban song says, I want to be the wind that fills your sails, be the moon that moves your tide, the sun coming up in your eyes, be the wheel that never rusts, the spark that lights you up, all that you been dreaming of and so much more, I want to be your everything, Joe. I want to be your compass when you get lost, I want to witness all of your dreams. I want to be more than just your girl. I love you, Joe. I have promise my heart to you the rest of our lives. I have read plenty of love stories but ours is my favorite," she says bringing tears to my eyes. She has no idea how much she is already my everything.

The priest continues on with our private wedding ceremony by having Alani, Willow and I pour sand into a vase to symbolize us becoming one in the eyes of God before he asks for a wooden bowl made out of koa wood which is a symbol of strength and prosperity. He hands the bowl to Willow to hold as he puts our wedding rings into the bowl before handing me a conch shell filled with water from the ocean flowing at our feet. He takes a ti leaf to dip into the water that represents health, protection and luck. He dips the ti leaf into the ocean water and sprinkles it onto our wedding rings three times before blessing the rings in my native tongue. The priest takes the conch shell from me and places it down on the table behind him along with the koa wooden bowl. He takes the rings out of the bowl and says, "Joe, place this ring onto Willow's finger and repeat after me," he hands me the ring. I take Willow's slender hand and place the ring made of titanium and koa and put it onto her tiny finger. "Willow, I take thee to be my wife."

"Willow, I take thee to be my wife."

"Please wear this ring as a symbol of my undying love and commitment to you."

"Please wear this ring as a symbol of my undying love and commitment to you."

"Willow, Please take this ring and place it on Joe's finger and repeat after me," he says before handing her the koa ring. She places the ring onto my finger and gives me a soft smile. "Joe, I take thee to be my husband."

"Joe, I take thee to be my husband," she says never breaking eye contact with me.

"Please wear this ring as a symbol of my undying love and commitment to you."

"Please wear this ring as a symbol of my undying love and commitment to you," she says.

The priest says another blessing and prayer over us before he makes his pronouncement. "As you have witnessed here today the joining of this man and this woman before the eyes of God, let no man part and by the power vested in me I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride," he says before I take Willow into my arms and kiss her passionately as I hear the waves in the distance, Alani's giggles and Dean's hollers. We break the kiss and the priest turns us around as we hold hands. "I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Anoa'i." And in this moment my entire life can't be better. We make our way down the aisle ready to embark on our new journey in life together.

 **THE END!**

 ***A/N: What did you think of them eloping with one another? What did you think of their wedding ceremony? This is NOT the end of Joe and Willow's story. I decided to break it down into two parts. I will be starting the next part in a couple days. I just want to thank everyone that took the time to read this story and review it as well. Please review and thank-you for reading. We'll see you in the next chapter of Joe's and Willow's life and see how their life plays out after their marriage and where life takes them like how will Mark react to their marriage, what happens when their baby is born and will Willow make it back to the ring plus a few more things. Thank-you once again.**


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